King Charles arrived by helicopter today for a special ceremony with Prince William where he will officially hand over command of Prince Harry’s former regiment.
The 75-year-old monarch will bestow the prestigious position of Colonel-in-Chief of The Army Air Corps to his heir at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, Hampshire.
William will represent the Army’s airborne wing, including his brother’s former unit – 662 Squadron.
The Duke of Sussex served in the regiment as an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan with it widely thought he would have taken the role until he made the decision to step back from royal life.
It comes on the same day the estranged royal is jetting back from his ‘quasi-royal’ tour in Nigeria with his wife Meghan Markle.
Charles arrives by helicopter at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, Hampshire, today
The Sussexes will head back to their Montecito mansion in California following their ‘rock star’ tour.
Buckingham Palace announced last week The King would have a joint engagement with William to pass on the role he held for 31 years to his eldest son.
Charles announced in August William would be appointed as Colonel-in-Chief, while also granting the Princess of Wales three new roles.
A Palace spokesperson said: ‘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.’
King Charles will today meet Prince William at a special ceremony where he will hand over command to his heir of Prince Harry’s former regiment (Pictured here in Sandringham on Christmas Day 2023)
It comes on the same day the estranged Duke of Sussex will jet back from his ‘quasi-royal’ tour in Nigeria with his wife Meghan Markle
It came just two hours after Harry’s spokesman said the King was too busy to see his youngest son during his whistlestop trip to the UK to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games.
The Duke of Sussex was in London for three days last week but# due to the King’s busy schedule was unable to meet his father.
Harry’s spokesperson confirmed that it was ‘unfortunately not possible’ for the pair to meet ‘due to His Majesty’s full programme’, as he returns to public duties after undergoing treatment for cancer.
Following much speculation over whether the Duke would pop in to visit his father, who he last saw in February following his shocking diagnosis, Harry’s spokesperson confirmed there was no time for a reunion.
William previously spent three years at the base on Anglesey, taking part in 156 search and rescue missions and saving 149 people. Pictured: The then-Duke of Cambridge at RAF Valley in Anglesey in 2012
The Prince and Princess of Wales have both been given three new military appointments each by King Charles. Pictured: William and Kate on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the RAF centenary
William is taking over as Colonel-in-Chief of The Army Air Corps, which would give him command over Harry’s former unit, 662 Squadron. Pictured: Prince Harry at the Founder’s Day Parade at Royal Hospital Chelsea in 2019
One royal commentator has claimed Prince Harry could have been in line for the role of Colonel-in-Chief of The Army Air Corps before quitting as a working royal. Pictured: Harry in his apache helicopter in Afghanistan in 2012
‘In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not The Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme,’ he said.
‘The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’
Last night, Harry and Meghan completed the last leg of the tour of Nigeria with a trip to Lagos.
The couple, visiting Nigeria together for the first time, stood on a red carpet and applauded and gasped as they were greeted with a traditional dance.
In scenes reminiscent of a presidential visit, their fourteen car convoy – complete with machine guns mounted on trucks – swept from the airport to a basketball court where they met children from a local school.
They were then guests of honour at the State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s house, before rounded off the three-day tour by attending a charity polo match.
The Sussexes visited Nigeria as part of a promotion of Harry’s Invictus Games, the sporting event he founded for wounded military veterans.
The couple arrived last Friday in the capital Abuja where they visited a school to open an event on mental health for students there in a trip that also saw the prince meet wounded Nigerian soldiers.
One royal commentator claimed last August Harry himself could have been in line for the role as Colonel-in-Chief.
Harry and Mgehan attending the polo fundraiser event in Lagos yesterday while on their tour of Nigeria
There were several large photographs of Harry and Meghan on show
Meghan Markle glowed in a stunning yellow dress yesterday as she and Prince Harry arrived at the State Governor house in Lagos
Meghan ditched her neutral style in favour of a vibrant red dress in order to ‘fit in’ with Nigeria ‘s ‘incredible fashion’
Mr Sanwo-Olu presented Harry and Meghan with a statue of an Eyo masquerade – which represents the spirits of the dead
Meghan appeared to be wearing an outfit made of aso oke – a hand-woven cloth from south-west Nigeria – which she had been gifted at a lavish lunch when the couple arrived in Lagos
Harry and Meghan were swept from the airport to a basketball court where they met children from a local school
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told the Mirror it was ‘quite feasible’ that if he hadn’t quit life as a working royal – something that saw him stripped of his honorary military appointments – he might have been given the title.
He said: ‘Had Harry still been around he might well have had more appointments going his way.’
William has also become the Royal Honorary Air Commodore at RAF Valley in Wales – he previously spent three years at the base on Anglesey, taking part in 156 search and rescue missions and saving 149 people.
The Prince belonged to the RAF’s 202 Squadron with colleagues regarding him as an outstanding pilot and as ‘one of the family’.
Though search and rescue operations were privatised in 2016, RAF Valley remains a training facility for fast jet pilots and crews.
He has also added Colonel-in-Chief of The Mercian Regiment to his growing list of military commitments.
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