At the start of this month, a notable event unfolded within the British royal family. Prince Harry arrived in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. Meanwhile, back at home, his brother Prince William received a distinguished new title from King Charles. Though the timing appeared coincidental, many interpreted it as a slight towards Prince Harry.
The Palace announced that King Charles III had appointed Prince William as the Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. The official statement read, “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.”
William’s new position places him in charge of Harry’s former unit. Back in 2008, Harry completed his Army Air Corps “Grading” and Pilot’s Selection Board interview, then trained as an Army Air Corps pilot in 2009. According to Harry’s official biography, which was available on the royal family’s website before his removal, “Upon successfully completing the Army Pilots Course, Prince Harry was selected to train on the Apache Attack Helicopter. On the same day, it was announced that Prince Harry received his provisional wings from his father.” At that time, Charles was the Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, making the ceremony especially meaningful for Harry.
This new appointment for Prince William comes at a time of heightened public interest, particularly given the strained relationship between Prince Harry and his father. The public has been curious about their interactions, or the apparent lack of them, during Harry’s recent visit to the UK, which highlights the complexities of royal family dynamics.
During Harry’s latest visit, he and King Charles did not meet due to the king’s “full schedule.” However, Harry expressed in a statement that he “hopes to see him soon.”
Despite the tensions with other members of the royal family, Harry shared his joy about being back in the UK. He described a recent event as “amazing” and praised the work of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, emphasizing the essential support they provide to children.
“The more opportunities you get to do these kinds of events, the more families and kids know this place exists, which is really the most important thing,” Harry said, according to BBC.
