Royal Expert Details The Olive Branch King Charles Has Recently Given Prince Harry

The death of Queen Elizabeth II shocked the world and prompted many changes in the royal family, especially for her son King Charles III, who at 73 years old must carry the legacy of British monarchy. "Throughout her life, Her Majesty the queen — my beloved mother — was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother," King Charles said in his first address to the nation since the death of his mother (via The New York Times).

While the heartfelt message to Queen Elizabeth following her death was expected, there was a particular part of his speech that many didn't see coming. "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas," the monarch added. Following a series of media scandals and pressure, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, resigned to their royal duties and relocated their family to Montecito, California in June 2020 (per Hello! Magazine). Since then, the couple has maintained their distance from the royal palace, just attending major events including Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

In an interview with NBC's "Today," Wendy Naugle, editor-in-chief of People, talked about the importance of King Charles' mention of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his first address as sovereign. "When King Charles mentioned Harry and Meghan in his speech, it really was monumental, it was a big olive branch," Naugle said. Olive branches have a symbolic connotation of peace, which can be traced back to Greek mythology, per Symbolsage. In that sense, King Charles III's inclusion shows his willingness to make amends with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. 

Royal expert Katie Nicholl further dived into why this might be in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "Charles absolutely has been devastated by what has happened," Nicholl said of the monarch. "He is hopeful that there will be a reconciliation. I think we saw that in the very... public olive branches that were extended to Harry and Meghan ... Of course, there's the matter of titles, whether [his grandchildren] Archie and Lilibet will get [them]. Will that be... the final olive branch that is offered? I think we'll hear about that imminently."