King Charles' 'powerful message' to Prince William as pair show support amid Harry rift

King Charles made a poignant gesture last week, entrusting his eldest son, Prince William, with a distinguished baton, signifying not just a crucial point in the succession but also a public declaration of solidarity.

This act of unity was particularly resonant as it followed shortly after Prince Harry's UK visit where he did not see either his father or brother, casting their paternal bonds in sharp relief.

As King Charles conferred upon Prince William the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps position he himself held for over 30 years Jennie Bond, the former BBC Royal correspondent, shared her insights - suggesting the King was underlining the monarchy's enduring legacy.

"The image of the King and the future King together sends out a powerful message about the continuity of the monarchy," she commented to OK! "I think it was an example of mutual support the King handing a highly significant appointment to his older, loyal son and Prince William showing that he is ready and willing to take on some of his father's duties as and when the time is right."

The bond shared between the King, 75, and his eldest son, 41, is undoubtedly fortified by their "unique and extraordinary destiny", Jennie suggests. "They are the only two men in the country to experience or face the prospect of being monarch," she highlights.

"They have only one another to share very particular thoughts or concerns with about this unique role. With Harry no longer part of the picture, William has become closer to his father. As time goes by, I think the King will look to his eldest son more and more to uphold and protect the institution of monarchy."

No public official engagements have been undertaken jointly by William and his father since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. They've also confronted the reality of both Charles and the Princess of Wales, 42, receiving treatment for cancer.

Such experiences "must have brought them closer together, confiding their feelings and fears to each other", Jennie notes.

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Discussing William's Royal duties resumption alongside his father, Jennie remarks, "It's lovely to see father and son together, with William towering over his dad, looking youthful and strong in spite of the emotional stress he must be going through with his father and wife under treatment for cancer."

The display of unity came just over a week after Harry, 39, arrived in the UK for his Invictus Games anniversary ceremony. While he attended the service at St Paul's Cathedral, his father was meeting members of the public at a Buckingham Palace garden party.

The Duke's spokesman said Charles' "full programme" of engagement prevented them meeting face to face. Neither publicly addressed the decision not to meet, but Jennie believes it may simply have been too much for Charles to contend with in his current health condition. "There's no doubt that the King is incredibly sad about his broken relationship with Harry and, of course, his almost non-existent relationship with his two grandchildren in California. But I think he sent out a clear message when he did not have time to meet Harry," she says.

"The stress of a fractured relationship with his younger son in my opinion may be too much for him to handle at the moment. Charles is a very emotional man and it may be that the pressure of trying to untangle a complicated relationship with Harry right now is just not something he should be tackling when he is also fighting cancer.

"I believe that the King will always leave the door open for Harry, I'm sure he still loves his 'darling boy', but the time has to be right and at the moment the King's focus is on getting well again as soon as possible and fulfilling as many diary engagements as his health allows."

As Charles prepares the path for his son's ascension to the throne, it's likely that William is considering his own approach to ruling. Jennie suggests he'll be "a king of the 21st Century", focusing on making a tangible difference where possible.

"I suspect we will by then be used to rather less formality, less, if any, bowing and curtseying, and a monarchy that is a bit more approachable and relatable," she adds.

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