Charles honours key figure who the Sussexes clashed with
Is this a snub?
King Charles has just given a rare honour to a courtier whom Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to dislike quite a bit.
The Daily Mail reports that Sir Edward Young — who served as an aide to the late Queen Elizabeth, then helped King Charles transition the monarchy for his reign, totalling 19 years of royal service — has become the King's Permanent Lord in Waiting.
"His Majesty has great respect for Lord Young and is grateful for all the work he did for his mother, often under great pressure," an insider told the Mail's royal editor Richard Eden. "This new honour is a reflection of that."
While there's no doubt that Charles does in fact have a lot of respect for his new Permanent Lord in Waiting, this development does pose the question of whether the King took into consideration Harry's past difficulties with the man — especially given Charles and Harry's strained relationship these days.
Richard goes on to explain that Harry accused Sir Edward of two perceived offences in his memoir Spare, which was published earlier this year. First, Harry accused him of preventing him from speaking to his grandmother the Queen directly when the Sussexes were preparing to step down from their roles as senior royals.
The Duke had already explained that he had been stopped from speaking to his grandmother via the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, which first aired in December.
Second, Harry accused Sir Edward of being part of the reason why the Sussexes are no longer protected by the Metropolitan Police when they are in the UK. This has led to a major security dispute for Prince Harry, who has argued that his security has been "compromised" on past visits to his native country.
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
The Daily Mail goes on to explain that the royal courtier Harry referred to in Spare as The Bee is likely to be Sir Edward.
"I'd spent my life dealing with courtiers, scores of them. But now I dealt mostly with just three, all middle-aged white men who'd managed to consolidate power through a series of bold Machiavellian manoeuvres," Harry wrote.
"They had normal names... but they sort more easily into zoological categories. The Bee, The Fly and the Wasp. The Bee was oval-faced and fuzzy and tended to glide around with great equanimity and poise, as if he was a boon to all living things."
Well!
-
All the stars arriving at the Met Gala for the first time ever
What a debut!
By Mischa Anouk Smith
-
The guests at the Met Gala have spoken: blush is back - dig out your corals, your pinks and your peaches
Forget the frocks, its all about the flush
By Katie Thomas
-
Lily James's can thank this £5.50 product for her elegant slicked back bun at the Met Gala 2024
A must-have
By Katie Thomas
-
There's a special detail in this never-seen-before Royal photo of William and Kate
Can you spot the significance?
By Lauren Hughes
-
William and Kate are 'acutely aware of problems' Charlotte and Louis face in the future
They want to ensure that their youngest children find paths that are 'meaningful and appropriate'
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Prince William is no longer considered the public's 'favourite royal'
According to a new YouGov survey, he's been dethroned
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Getty explains why they have flagged Kate's video confirming cancer diagnosis
They said the clip 'may not adhere to their editorial policy'
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Queen Camilla has given an update about Princess Kate
She also accepted gifts for the Princess
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
The royal family's Easter plans have changed following Kate's latest health update
The event will look very different this year.
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Princess Kate's medical privacy 'breached by staff' at The London Clinic
It's a 'major security' issue
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Another key royal photo has been flagged for 'manipulation'
"The image has been digitally enhanced at source."
By Jadie Troy-Pryde