King Charles has officially handed over the reins of Prince Harry’s old Army unit to the heir to the throne, Prince William.
The monarch, 75, arrived at the Army Aviation Center in Middle Wallop, south England, Monday where he made his eldest son Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps.
Charles presented the Prince of Wales, 41, with the prestigious honor that now means he will head up the military unit previously belonging to his globe-trotting brother, who served as an Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.
The historic ceremony took place just as the Duke of Sussex, 39, left Nigeria after a three-day tour with his wife, Meghan Markle.
On arrival Monday, Charles received a warm welcome at the military base where royal fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the sovereign and his son.
Charles and William were met by a Guard of Honor and Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Borton, Colonel Commandant of the Army Air Corps, who escorted them to The Army Flying Museum.
Inside, the monarch unveiled a plaque to commemorate the arrival of the first Apache AH Mk.1 to be installed in a UK museum.
This Apache carried troops on their stub wings in the Battle of Jugroom Fort, Afghanistan, in 2007.
After the ceremony, the father-son duo posed for photos in front of the Apache Helicopter with members of the Army Air Corps.
It’s been reported that the military honor would likely have been given to Harry if he had remained as a senior working member of the royal family.
Instead, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit royal life in 2020 and moved across the pond.
Both William and Harry are trained military pilots — however, Harry personally served in the Army Air Corps for more than three years.
As heir to the throne, William was not involved in active conflict during his time in the military.
Charles, for his part, held the role for 31 years, and announced in August last year that William would be taking over.
Over the weekend, it was reported that the King’s decision to bestow the honor upon William left Harry in tears.
“King Charles’ announcement… is a real kick in the teeth for the son who always felt marginalized and underrated,” royal expert Tom Quinn told The Mirror Saturday. “He is said to have been in tears when he heard.”
“What makes it much worse is that the role is being given to the very man who Harry sees as the cause of so many of his problems — his brother.”
Quinn claimed that the announcement was “deliberately” made while Harry was in the UK to show that the king’s younger son “is no longer welcome.”
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