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King Charles III is down “points” after skipping Prince Harry’s Invictus Games anniversary service. His absence has been widely perceived as a “snub” in the British press. However, a royal biographer thinks the king has a chance to redeem himself, and soon. How? By making a nod to the Duke of Sussex when he hands over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, the regiment Harry served in, to Prince William—another move widely seen as a “snub”—in an upcoming ceremony.

Charles ‘lost a few points’ by not joining Harry at the Invictus Games anniversary service 

The Duke of Sussex didn’t see his father while in London, England, marking 10 years of the Invictus Games. Not in a brief meeting like in February 2024 or publicly at the games’ anniversary service.

When Harry went to St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8, 2024, for a thanksgiving service honoring the Invictus Games, he did so without any other senior British royals.

Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I, a book about King Charles’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth II, thinks although the monarch might be down “points” in the court of public opinion, it’s not likely something that’s crossed his mind.  

“Charles has probably lost a few points here. But he will not play the scoring points game. He just won’t,” Seward told Newsweek. “Even if his advisers might have said, ‘The service might be a nice idea,’ he will have said, ‘Well, I’m not playing that game.’”

Prior to the service, a spokesperson for Harry confirmed he and King Charles would not meet during his time in London due to his father’s “full schedule.” (The king attended a Buckingham Palace garden party and met with the prime minister on the day of the service.)

Calling it a “real shame” Harry and King Charles didn’t “have any face time together,” commentator Afua Hagan described it as a “missed opportunity for both of them.” 

“It kind of feels like a bit of a snub,” Hagan added, before noting the “terrible” optics. Some, she continued, may feel it’s a “lesson” dished out by King Charles and Queen Camilla. “The king is almost certainly not that petty, but he is at risk of looking petty.” 

Meanwhile, Seward dismissed the “snub” label. “It’s not a snub,” the author said. “It’s not intended to be unkind, but it just doesn’t look very good. But then Charles won’t play to the gallery, he never has done.” 

Mentioning Harry’s military service when he hands the Army colonel position to William will be ‘very good’ for King Charles

On the heels of the Invictus anniversary, and announced during Harry’s visit no less, is a ceremony on May 13, 2024, where King Charles will formally make his oldest son, William, Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. 

Normally, an announcement like this probably wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. However, this one sure did. Harry, as a 10-year veteran of the British Army, served in the same regiment, flying Apache helicopters on the front lines in Afghanistan. 

Per the outlet, it’s a chance for King Charles to “pay tribute” to Harry’s service. “That would be a good way around it all, and he [King Charles] might genuinely want to,” Seward said, calling it “a very good opportunity.” 

“That will be very telling—if he doesn’t mention Harry, that will be odd,” she added. 

The king’s set to unveil a plaque for an Apache used in 2007 during the war, which, per the publication, will be an “an opportunity to seamlessly tip his hat to his second son” as Harry began his first tour the same year. 

Cheering for Harry and Spencer family hugs have gone viral since the Invictus service 

While King Charles may not pay much attention to public opinion, his staff probably does. Surely they’ll have caught a glimpse of the viral moments from the Invictus anniversary service. 

Crowds gathered outside St. Paul’s Cathedral and cheered for Harry upon his arrival in footage making the rounds on social media. Perhaps, most memorably, the 39-year-old did have some family there with him to mark the occasion. 

Two of Princess Diana’s three siblings attended the service. Cameras captured Harry hugging his maternal aunt and uncle, Lady Jane Fellowes and Charles, Earl Spencer, in the pews. 

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