Prince William
Charles gives him military titles
King Charles (l.) hands military orders to Prince William.
© imago/Cover Images
Title with a spicy background: King Charles has appointed Prince William colonel of Prince Harry’s regiment.
Prince William (41) is now an honorary colonel in the Army Air Corps. King Charles III (75) awarded his eldest son the title he had previously held himself on Monday (May 13) at the Army Aviation Center in Hampshire. According to media reports, the king handed the baton to the heir to the throne in front of an Apache helicopter. He also handed him a unity beret. Charles described William as a “very good pilot” in his speech. He himself was sad to be giving up his position after 32 years.
King Charles III then left the military base while the Prince of Wales was introduced to his new job.
Title assignment with an aftertaste
The handing over of the title to Prince William has a certain connotation. According to insiders in the British royal family, this was supposedly intended for Prince Harry (39). Charles’ youngest son eventually completed his military service with the Army Air Corps in 2009. He was deployed with the air force in Afghanistan until 2014.
William is also a qualified helicopter pilot. Unlike his brother, he was not in combat, but served as a search and rescue pilot.
Appointment of William as a humiliation for Harry?
Back in August 2023, the palace announced that William, not Harry, would become the honorary colonel of the Army Air Corps. But in the last week the topic has become viral. Because the date for the handover ceremony was communicated on the day Harry was in London.
Harry arrived from the USA for a service to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, which he founded. The timing was interpreted by many observers as a deliberate affront to the renegade Harry. As a Adel insider told “Mirror” reported that Harry was in tears last week.