Prince Harry, Meghan Markle 'in and out' in minutes after Charles meeting

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hardly spent time with Prince Charles during their brief visit to the UK.

Richard Kay for Daily Mail declares the meeting between the Sussexes and Prince Charles was barely 15 minutes, however adding that it extended an olive brand amid the rift. The couple had missed Prince Philip' Memorial service last months and this gesture and the Windsor visit has been branded significant for the couple's 'longterm status' in the family.

"Harry’s offer of breaking his long flight from Los Angeles to the Hague in Holland, where he is attending his Invictus Games, with a stop-over in Windsor to see his grandmother a year after their last encounter at Prince Philip’s funeral, was warmly welcomed by the Queen. The timing was significant," he begins in his note.

"To the Queen, Easter’s promise of spiritual renewal and forgiveness – such an important time of year to her – represented an opportunity.

"But there were strings attached: ahead of meeting the Queen, Harry would first have to see his father.

"Prince of Wales was also at Windsor – along with the Duchess of Cornwall – where he was standing in for his mother to distribute Maundy money to community figures, there were no logistical obstacles.

"Today all sides agreed that if there is to be a reconciliation between Harry and his family then these meetings were a crucial first step. It is understood that Harry and Meghan met Charles around 10 am for 15 minutes.

"According to a source Camilla joined the meeting midway through.

"Charles and Camilla then left the castle together for St George’s. In many ways this was the most important of the two meetings. Harry and his father have been barely speaking in recent months.

Despite Prince Harry's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey last year and his upcoming book that is expected to raise curtains on the family further, Prince Charles loves his son to the core.

"As one long-standing friend of his told me: ‘He loves his son and he has been broken-hearted by everything that has taken place, although he fears history repeating itself with Harry just as it did with Princess Diana. But he also wants to keep the door open and keep talking, something he still regrets not doing with Diana.’

The Duke then went to see the Queen.

"After saying their farewells to Charles, Harry and Meghan moved on to the Queen’s private apartment where I am told the atmosphere was a lot less edgy," says Richard.

"Even though she has been both mystified and at times upset by many of Harry’s words and deeds in the past two years, her grandson is something of a favourite.

‘He has always had the ability to make her laugh and she loves that about him,’ says a companion.

‘To this day whenever she hears that Harry is on the phone her eyes light up.’ It can be no coincidence therefore, that for once Harry and Meghan’s social media cheerleaders have been unusually quiet about the content of both meetings.

"Not leaking details is being seen as a way of getting some trust back into the relationship,’ I am told," Richard concludes.