The Prince of Wales's discreet strategy of news management took a step forward yesterday when royal aides confirmed Prince William had met his father's companion Camilla Parker Bowles for the first time.
In a move which would have been unthinkable a decade ago, a spokeswoman for the Prince of Wales said details of the meeting as reported in yesterday's Sun were accurate. The Sun held off publication for 24 hours, following a request from Charles, who wanted to inform William that the story was to appear.
The 30-minute meeting took place at St James's Palace last month, with Charles present. The encounter, on Friday June 12, came about when 16-year-old William dropped in unexpectedly at the Palace, where Mrs Parker Bowles has become a regular visitor.
Since then William and Mrs Parker Bowles, who is 51 next week, have met twice more, for tea and at a shared lunch. Royal insiders now expect Mrs Parker Bowles to meet Prince Harry, 13, for the first time sooner rather than later.
The meeting between William and Camilla will fuel speculation that the Prince of Wales plans a greater public role for his long-time companion, in the run-up to his 50th birthday in November. They have yet to appear in public together - and remarriage has not been ruled out.
A transparent campaign to 'introduce' Mrs Parker Bowles to public life began after Charles's divorce. But it was abandoned following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, last year.
A spokeswoman for the Prince of Wales said yesterday: 'Yes, Prince William and Mrs Parker Bowles have met.
'Meetings between the children and Mrs Parker Bowles are a private family matter, which we are not prepared to discuss, and we hope for their sakes, the media will now leave this very personal matter alone.'