Prince Harry was reportedly brought to tears upon learning that King Charles had bestowed a new honour upon Prince William, according to a royal expert.
The announcement, made by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, declared that William, aged 41, would be appointed colonel-in-chief of the Army Air Corps. This decision came despite Prince Harry, aged 39, having served personally with the unit during his time in Afghanistan.
Royal expert Tom Quinn, speaking to The Mirror, described the timing of the announcement as intentionally painful for Harry, coming on the same day that he returned to London to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
“King Charles’ announcement… is a real kick in the teeth for the son who always felt marginalised and underrated,” said Quinn. “He is said to have been in tears when he heard.”
“What makes it much worse is that the role is being given to the very man who Harry sees as the cause of so many of his problems – his brother.”
Quinn alleged that the announcement was deliberately made while Harry was in the UK to convey the message that the king’s younger son “is no longer welcome.”
“They [the royal family] have decided the gloves are off and that Harry needs to realize that when you betray the family, you don’t just escape the things you hated doing as a working royal,” Quinn emphasised. “You also lose the things you loved.”
“Harry cannot fail to get the message,” Quinn continued. “His last few ties to his old life are being cut and he is being set adrift, permanently.”
Both William and Harry have received military training as pilots. While Harry served in the Army Air Corps during his second tour of Afghanistan until 2014, William’s military service primarily involved roles as a search and rescue pilot and air ambulance pilot.
Despite Harry’s anticipated reunion with his cancer-stricken father, King Charles, during his visit to the UK, the meeting did not occur. Harry has been estranged from both his father and his brother since stepping down as a senior royal in 2020.
It remains unclear if William’s appointment as colonel-in-chief of the Army Air Corps influenced the decision. Additionally, Harry did not see his sister-in-law, Kate, who is currently battling cancer, during his brief visit to the UK.
Currently residing in Montecito, California, with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Harry’s relationship with his family continues to be strained.
