During his solo return to the UK on May 7 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, Prince Harry was treated coldly by the British Royal Family.
Shortly after Prince Harry learned that he could not meet his father due to the king’s busy schedule, Buckingham Palace announced that Harry’s older brother, Prince William, would be appointed Colonel Commander of the Royal Air Force Corps. The Prince of Wales will replace his father as head of the regiment.
“A slap in the face” for Prince Harry
The UK’s Independent newspaper commented that it is possible that this honor would have been given to Harry if he had not left his royal duties, as he had served in this unit in Afghanistan. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Speaking about this announcement, royal expert Ian Pelham Turner said: “This is a slap in the face for Harry,” while some British newspapers called it a “disgraceful event.”
“I think it was a mistake,” Pelham Turner said of the king’s choice not to meet his son when Harry returned to Britain this time.
“Harry could reveal the conversation in any future book… and it would only add fuel to the fire. Charles is a soft-hearted person who holds the hand of cancer victims but cannot extend his hand to his son,” he said.
According to Turner, taking away a military regiment would mean nothing to the British public, but not to Harry. It was the regiment in which Prince Harry served until 2014.
“Giving the regiment to William would only highlight the divisions and not show forgiveness,” he said.
Prince Harry returned to London without his wife, Meghan Markle, and attended several events to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, discussions.
On Wednesday, the Duke of Sussex appeared at St. Paul to attend the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. His immediate family was not present. But he was joined by his maternal uncle and two aunts, the late Princess Diana’s sister and brother.
That same day, King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, welcomed thousands of guests to Buckingham Palace for the first garden party of 2024. The event is a long-standing tradition that dates back to the 1860s. Many of Harry’s aunts, uncles, and cousins attended the party.
A clear message from the Royal Family to Harry
A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex previously confirmed to Fox News Digital that the prince did not meet his father.
“To address the many questions and ongoing speculation about whether the Duke will meet his father while in the UK this week, unfortunately he will not be able to due to Her Majesty’s busy schedule,” the statement said. “The duke is of course aware of his father’s commitments and other priorities, and hopes to see him again soon.”
Harry’s sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, has kept quiet as she focuses on her cancer treatment. The king, 75, who was also diagnosed with cancer, has returned to public duties while recovering.
The King’s author Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that the king and Prince William sent a clear message to Harry.
“By announcing that he was too busy to see Harry, even though they were only two miles apart, and then formally appointing William as a Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force – one of the military honors Harry cherishes most – the king is slamming the door in his second son’s face,” Andersen said.
“It was a cold, calculated, even cruel move. The king could easily have made time to see Harry. And the decision to give Harry his old title to William did not need to come at a time when the Duke of Sussex had only just returned to London. It was all deliberate and very personal,” he added.
Andersen said Harry had done well by remaining committed to his London activities.
“Having suffered so much emotional turmoil throughout his life, he has learned to separate himself. Harry has shown no signs that anything was wrong with the Invictus Games. That is not to say that Harry is not disappointed and frankly deeply hurt by the continued intransigence of the royal family,” he explained.
Modeled after the Warrior Games in the United States, Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 as a paralympic-style event. The event is designed to inspire veterans around the world as they work to overcome their injuries on the battlefield.
Following the event, Harry flew to Nigeria with his wife, Meghan Markle, from May 10. They will be there for three days of social and charity work.