Just so we’re clear, because very recent royal history is being rewritten as we speak, two Sundays ago, Prince Harry confirmed his visit to the UK. That news was greeted with an avalanche of royal commentary about how Harry needs to see his father, how King Charles demands to see his Sussex grandchildren, how the palace has “noted” Meghan’s absence and her lack of support for a cancer-stricken king. The message, over and over, was: Harry better beg Charles for a meeting. Then Harry ruined all of that commentary yesterday, upon his arrival in London, with his spokesperson issuing a direct statement saying the king’s schedule is too full to meet Harry and Harry understands. Well, Buckingham Palace has decided to counter with: Charles is scheduled to see William next week, and Harry is being snubbed on purpose! Y’all.
Buckingham Palace has announced a joint engagement between the King and Prince William next week after it emerged Charles will not see his other son Harry during the Duke’s UK visit. Prince Harry met a millionaire financier this evening after admitting King Charles was too busy to meet him in what experts said was a ‘snub’ that reflected the depth of their rift. Yet now the Palace has announced King Charles will meet with one of his sons – William – on Monday to hand over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to the Prince of Wales.
Buckingham Palace announced today: ‘At the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, 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 that the King would pass on the role he held for 31 years to his eldest son came just two hours after he said he was too busy to see his youngest son.
‘Timing is everything,’ one royal insider said, while another said the monarch’s decision not to see the Duke of Sussex during whistle stop visit to the UK – despite only being three miles apart – ‘will be widely perceived as a snub’.
‘This, whatever the logistics, will be widely perceived as a snub,’ royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline. ‘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.’
Echoing the same sentiment, former BBC Royal correspondent Michael Cole added: ‘It is quite a snub. 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. The Prodigal Son is not welcome – not for the present, anyway. In royal terms, this is big medicine. Prince Harry is bound to see it for what it is, the clearest possible indication of the hurt that has been caused. There can be no mistake: 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”.’
“Even Prince Harry, never the sharpest sword in the Household Cavalry, is bound to have got the message” – in fact, it was Harry’s spokesperson who announced the lack of meeting because Harry knows exactly who his father is and what kind of dumbf–k games Charles is playing. The message is: Charles wants to clout-chase Harry but Charles also wants to blame Harry for not meeting, not bringing the kids over, etc. Harry killed that narrative so the palace and the rota are scrambling. The fact that Charles had to announce this dumbass “handover” event with William just hours after the Sussex statement is giving Panic At The Palace.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.