Queen Camilla Appointed Colonel in Chief of Royal Lancers in Snub to Prince Harry

In a surprising move that some see as a snub to Prince Harry, Queen Camilla hosted her first reception at Clarence House as the newly appointed Colonel in Chief of the Royal Lancers.

This comes as Prince Harry is in London to give evidence in his lawsuit against MGM, following his controversial claims about his stepmother.

The Queen herself attended the reception, along with former and current members of the regiment, making it her second engagement of the day.

The announcement of Queen Camilla's new role was made on the Royal Family's social media accounts, accompanied by photos of Camilla.

The caption read, “Her Majesty the Queen has been appointed Colonel in Chief of the Royal Lancers.”

The Royal Family also shared a clip on Instagram, showing Camilla celebrating Lieutenant Michael de Bourgh's 100th birthday and presenting him with a regimental honor, the Buckingham Medal.

This appointment holds significance due to the regiment's long royal history.

Both Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother have previously held the position of colonel.

Additionally, Queen Camilla's father, Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during World War II.

Camilla looked elegant at the event, wearing a long royal blue dress with puffy sleeves and an open button-collar neckline, paired with high heels.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry has returned to Los Angeles after a brief visit to the UK for his High Court phone hacking case against Mirror Group newspapers M.G.N.

Despite reportedly staying at Frogmore Cottage, the royal residence, Harry did not meet with his father, King Charles, or his brother, Prince William, during his trip.

Harry's absence from the first day of his court case drew a rebuke from Justice Fancourt, who expressed surprise at his nonattendance.

The Duke of Sussex flew from Los Angeles to London overnight on June 4th, missing the opening day of his claim against M.G.N.

According to The Telegraph, this visit to Frogmore Cottage is likely to be the last, as King Charles requested that Harry and Meghan vacate the property shortly after the publication of Harry's memoir, Spare.

It was previously reported that Charles intended to offer the cottage to Prince Andrew instead, but the Duke of York has been resisting the move.

Frogmore Cottage is considered a downgrade from Harry's current home, boasting seven bedrooms, a large drawing room, and a conservatory.

The strained relationship between the Sussexes and senior members of the royal family became more apparent when none of the official Twitter accounts belonging to King Charles and Prince William wished Harry's daughter, Lilibet, a happy second birthday.

This is in stark contrast to last year's celebrations when the royal family, King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales all sent well wishes for Lilibet's first birthday.

Royal expert R S Locke suggests that this silence reflects the strained relationship between King Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Locke stated, “King Charles's decision not to publicly acknowledge his granddaughter's birthday, nor Prince Archie's last month, is a reflection of their strained relationship and likely an indication of the social media practices going forward.”

The appointment of Queen Camilla as Colonel in Chief of the Royal Lancers undoubtedly adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing dynamics within the royal family.

As Prince Harry continues his legal battle and tensions persist, the future interactions between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals remain uncertain.