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 backs on Britain, have Prince Harry and Meghan taken the first tentative steps to build a bridge between them and the royal family?

I can reveal that the couple’s new PR man in Britain and Europe is linked to one of the King’s most trusted former advisers – and insiders predict this connection could help the Sussexes rebuild their troubled relationship with the palace build.

Charlie Gipson was appointed UK communications director for their Archewell charity foundation last week. The move came four years after they vowed never to contact 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 has close ties to the king. Just last month, Julian was at an event in Highgrove for the charity Charles set up in his role as trustee for the King’s Foundation.

Julian stepped down from Clarence House in January 2021, after working there during the tumultuous Megxit period, and is now boss of crisis management firm Edelman. Charlie, 41, was employed by Edelman until he joined Archewell, and Julian is said to think highly of him. It has even been suggested that Julian played a role in securing the appointment, but last night he played that down, telling me: ‘I will speak to anyone if they want some input and advice on what life in the Royal Household is like . and what a wonderful privilege it is, but he didn’t ask me, and I wouldn’t interfere myself.’

Harry and Meghan’s new communications director previously worked for King Charles’ head of communications: Julian Payne, who retired from Clarence House in January 2021 after working there during the tumultuous Megxit period

Charlie Gipson (pictured) was last week appointed UK communications director for Harry and Meghan’s Archewell charity foundation. He is a protege of Julian Payne, who was head of communications for Charles when he was Prince of Wales

A source who knows Charlie adds: ‘Julian can be very useful for Charlie, who doesn’t have many connections from that world yet. Maybe Julian and Charlie can smooth things over because of these mutual connections. Charlie is talented, but he is several steps lower on the ladder.

“I think there’s such a clear royal connection with Julian that we can tap into.”

In his new role, Charlie will report to Meghan and Harry’s new US spokesperson 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 could not realize her ambitions within the royal family. Now she seems to have difficulty reaching them outside of it.

I hear Meghan has been unable to find a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for her new cooking and lifestyle company, American Riviera Orchard, despite interviewing several candidates for the position. She started the search five weeks ago, as I revealed at the time.

“The initial search for a CEO has not been successful so far,” said a California-based source.

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

“This is something new for Netflix,” the source said. “It would run the lifestyle business with Meghan and develop products as a spin-off from her show. If a partnership is agreed, Netflix is ​​likely to appoint its own CEO to run the business.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Florida. Meghan has begun negotiations with Netflix about the American streaming giant entering into a commercial partnership with American Riviera Orchard

Chip and Joanna Gaines on HGTV’s ‘Fixer Upper’. Meghan’s new deal with Netflix could be modeled after the deal the television stars have with HGTV/Warner Brothers

The model for the potential partnership would be the deal that American television stars Chip and Joanna Gaines made 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 program.

It is said that Meghan hopes that American Riviera Orchard, which will focus on home, garden, food and lifestyle items, will be very lucrative. Netflix has more than 250 million paying subscribers worldwide.

The Duchess, 42, unveiled the venture last month by posting a glitzy video to Instagram that showed her working in a rustic-looking kitchen, arranging white and pink flowers and whisking something into 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 organization he is closely associated with. heart lay.

An insider told me at the time: ‘The brand is planned to coincide with the launch of a new cooking show for Netflix. Meghan will make and sell products such as jam. There will be a book and a blog one day.’

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

The Duchess, 42, unveiled the initiative last month by posting a glitzy video to Instagram showing her working in a rustic-looking kitchen, arranging white and pink flowers and whisking something into a bowl.

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

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

A spokesperson for the duchess declined to comment.