EMILY PRESCOTT: Did King Charles's ex-aide help smooth the way for Meghan's new PR man as his protege becomes Archewell's director of communications in the UK?

Four years after turning their back on Britain, have Prince Harry and Meghan taken the first tentative steps to finding a bridge between them and the Royal Family?

I can reveal the couple’s new PR man in the UK and Europe is linked to one of the King’s most trusted former advisers – and insiders predict the connection may help the Sussexes rebuild their tattered relationship with the Palace.

Charlie Gipson was last week appointed as UK director of communications for their charitable foundation Archewell. The move came four years after they swore never to engage with the British press again. 

He is a protege of Julian Payne, who was head of communications for Charles when he was Prince of Wales, and who maintains close ties with the King. Only last month Julian was at an event at Highgrove for the charity founded by Charles in his role as a trustee for the King’s Foundation.

Julian stepped back from Clarence House in January 2021, having worked there during the tumultuous Megxit period, and is now boss of crisis management firm Edelman. Charlie, 41, was employed by Edelman until joining Archewell, and Julian is said to rate him highly. There is even some suggestion that Julian played a part in helping secure the appointment, but last night he played that down, telling me: ‘I’ll talk to anybody if they want some input and advice on what life in the Royal Household is like and what a fantastic privilege it is, but he hasn’t asked me, and I wouldn’t interpose myself.’

A source who knows Charlie adds: ‘Julian can be really useful for Charlie, who doesn’t have many connections yet from that world. Perhaps between them, Julian and Charlie can smooth everything over because of these mutual connections. Charlie is talented – but he is several rungs down the ladder.

‘I think there’s such an obvious royal link with Julian to make use of.’

In his new post, Charlie will report to Meghan and Harry’s new US spokesman Kyle Boulia.

EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Meghan fails to find CEO for her new lifestyle brand after a five-week search – and is now in talks with Netflix about a unique partnership

 By Richard Eden

The Duchess of Sussex was unable to fulfil her ambitions within the Royal Family. Now, she seems to be struggling to achieve them outside it as well.

I hear that Meghan has failed to find a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for her new cooking and lifestyle business, American Riviera Orchard, despite having interviewed several candidates for the position. She began the search five weeks ago, as I disclosed at the time.

‘The initial CEO search has not panned out so far,’ a California-based source tells me.

And her apparent difficulties have led to an intriguing new development: Meghan has begun negotiations with Netflix about the American streaming giant entering into a commercial partnership with American Riviera Orchard.

‘This is something new for Netflix,’ the source says. ‘It would run the lifestyle business with Meghan, developing products as spin-offs from her show. If a partnership is agreed, it’s likely that Netflix would install its own CEO to run operations.’

The model for the potential partnership is said to be the deal that American television stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have with HGTV/Warner Brothers for their Magnolia Network. The husband and wife duo host a home renovation show, Fixer Upper, and sell lifestyle products such as bedding inspired by the programme.

Meghan is said to hope that American Riviera Orchard, which will focus on home, garden, food and lifestyle wares, will be highly lucrative. Netflix has more than 250million paid subscribers around the world.

The Duchess, 42, unveiled the venture last month by posting a glitzy video on Instagram in which she could be seen busying herself in a rustic-looking kitchen, arranging white and pink flowers, and whisking something in a bowl.

She posted the video the day after I contacted her office for comment on her plans, which may have overshadowed an appearance by Harry, via video link, at an event that evening for the Diana Award, an organisation close to his heart.

An insider told me at the time: ‘The brand is meant to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show for Netflix. Meghan will be making and selling products such as jams. At some point there will be a book and a blog.’

Filming on the show began last week at a house in Montecito, the California neighbourhood where Meghan lives with Prince Harry and their two children.

Meghan’s lawyer has applied to trademark the brand in the U.S. for various goods, including cutlery, recipe books, tablecloths, napkins, jams, edible oils, vegetable and dairy-based spreads. The trademark application also appears to extend to a physical shop where items could be sold.

Whoever runs the brand may need to be a strong character. There have been a string of departures from Harry and Meghan’s workforce. The total number of staff the Sussexes have lost since they married in 2018 is said to be at least 17, with eight or more having left since they moved to California.

A spokesman for the Duchess declined to comment.