King Charles Reportedly Gives Prince Harry's Military Role To Prince William
By Favour Adegoke on May 7, 2024 at 6:45 PM EDT
Buckingham Palace announced Prince William will assume Prince Harry's role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, coinciding with the duke's visit to the UK for the Invictus Games 10th anniversary.
Despite being near, King Charles III also won't meet Harry due to his busy schedule. Their strained relationship, evident since 2020, remains unresolved. Royal experts see the lack of a meeting as a significant snub, reflecting the depth of the divide.
Prince Harry's Role As Colonel-In-Chief Has Been Given To Prince William
Buckingham Palace recently declared a shift in military leadership, with King Charles III passing on Prince Harry's position as Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William.
The transition ceremony is scheduled for May 13 at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop.
The Palace's statement reads, "His Majesty The King will officially hand over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales."
"In August 2023, following His Majesty's Accession, The King was pleased to announce military appointments, including that The Prince of Wales would become Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. The role was previously held by His Majesty The King, as Prince of Wales, for 31 years," the announcement further explained.
King Charles Is 'Unfortunately' Unable To Meet With Prince Harry In the UK
The announcement coincided with Harry's return to the UK for a brief visit to attend the 10th Anniversary celebration of the Invictus Games, which is scheduled for tomorrow at St Paul's Cathedral.
However, a representative for the Sussexes informed Harper's Bazaar that Charles won't be able to meet his son during this visit due to his packed schedule.
"It, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty's full program," the rep stated. "The Duke of course is understanding of his father's diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon."
The Duke's Last Reunion With His Father Was In February
Harry and Charles' last face-to-face encounter was in February 2024 after the king's cancer diagnosis. At the time, the Father-Son duo met at Clarence House for 45 minutes, but the duke had no meeting with his brother William.
Anticipation for another reunion was reportedly high this week, but Harry confirmed they won't meet during his London trip despite his event being just three miles away from Clarence House. Instead, Harry's foundation, Archewell, stated that the Duke of Sussex will meet with city financier Guy Monson.
Meanwhile, Harry is expected to remain in the UK for only three days before embarking on an unofficial royal tour of Nigeria with his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.
Their invitation came from Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Gwabin Musa, who crossed paths with the couple during last year's Invictus Games in Germany.
Royal Experts Say King Charles' Refusal To See His Son Is 'Quite A Snub'
Royal experts have given varied opinions on Charles and Harry's decision not to meet each other.
Richard Fitzwilliams noted," 'This, whatever the logistics, will be widely perceived as a snub. This is one of the most public rifts in the world. If it was handled in private without so much press speculation, it would have a better chance of being resolved."
Similarly, Michael Cole described it as "quite a snub," explaining: "For the King to not see his younger son, Prince Harry, although the two men will be only two miles apart tomorrow afternoon, gives an indication of the depth of the divide."
Cole referred to it as the "big medicine" in royal terms, highlighting that "this is a royal flea in the ear for the fifth in line to the throne. Actions have consequences, but rarely are they played out as starkly as they are here."
"Even Prince Harry, never the sharpest sword in the Household Cavalry, is bound to have got the message, and many people will say, 'About time too,'" he added.
Prince Harry Hopes For A Private Reconciliation With His Family
According to reports, it is unlikely that Harry and William will reconnect during this trip, given their estrangement since 2020, when the duke and his wife Meghan decided to step back from royal duties and move to California.
Harry had openly discussed his strained relationship with his older brother and expressed a desire to mend it.
In an interview with ITV last year, he stated: "My brother and I love each other. I love him deeply. There has been a lot of pain between the two of us, especially over the last six years."
He emphasized his love for his family and hoped for private reconciliation, adding: "I love my father, I love my brother, and I love family. I don't think my father or brother will read the book. … But what they have to say to me and what I have to say to them will be in private, and I hope it can stay that way."
In contrast, William has not publicly addressed their feud.
