King Charles has made a surprise public appearance amid confusion over where Prince Harry will be staying when he visits the UK this week.
The monarch, 77, visited the Tank Museum in Bovington on Monday for the regiment’s Families’ Day, his first visit to the RTR since becoming commander-in-chief.
It came amid conflicting reports about his son, the Duke of Sussex’s, accommodation in the UK. Harry’s spokesperson said he had accepted an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace, but minutes later, it was revealed he had missed the deadline and wouldn’t be staying there after all.
Despite this, and any moments of strain, the King appeared mainly composed on Monday as he arrived in a 1920 Pattern Rolls-Royce Armoured Car, the oldest vehicle in the Tank Museum’s working fleet, which carried Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the regiment in 1997 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai.
When asked later what he thought of the armoured car, the King joked: “Very slow.” He took over the title of head of the regiment in 2023 following his mother’s death.
Charles, wearing a smart suit and Armed Forces Veterans’ badge, demonstrated his typical good humour as he met former Royal Tank Regiment officers and museum staff in the Exhibition Hall, before meeting soldiers on parade.
He was given a tour of the museum including the Tank Story Hall where staff explained the history and significance of tanks from the First World War up to the modern day.
Braving the start of another UK heatwave, the monarch was also seen wearing bright orange sunglasses as he was shown the latest technological innovations being used by the regiment including 3D-printed equipment and search and attack drones.
Wearing a crew guard helmet, Charles, sitting in the commander seat, was then taken for a ride around the museum’s arena in a Challenger 2 tank.
Prince Harry’s royal accommodation U-turn
The Duke of Sussex is set to return to the UK for a five-day visit from 7-11 July to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham in 2027.
It’s understood that his wife Meghan Markle and his children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, will not travel to London with him on Tuesday, but it hasn’t been confirmed whether they will join the rest of the visit.
HELLO! understands that Harry formally rejected the offer from his estranged father ahead of his imminent UK visit on Saturday, before changing his mind later in the day – narrowly missing the deadline.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe duke had been waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requirements, but found out on Friday this has yet to take place.
A spokesman for Harry said it was “disappointing” the offer from the King had been “withdrawn at the last moment”, with the looming judgment in the duke’s case against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers on Tuesday given as the reason.
© Getty ImagesWhy won’t Harry be staying at Buckingham Palace?
It’s understood that the Royal Household needed a minimum amount of notice so that he could be hosted at the royal residence, which has been undergoing £369 million decade-long refurbishment.
However, the offer remains open for him to stay there in the future.
© InstagramA spokesperson for Harry said: “Following RAVEC’s decision not to provide security for his family, the Duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements. Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend.
“It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason.
“Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment.”
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