Prince William subtly referenced his brother Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle during a powerful speech delivered at King Charles’s Coronation Concert.
William, the heir to the throne, was the only member of the Royal Family to address the event, which took place on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Following Charles’ coronation at Westminster Abbey, William paid tribute to his father’s unwavering dedication.
READ MORE: King Charles has simple four-word response for Harry as he reaches out to meet
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“Pa, we are all so proud of you,” William remarked, accompanied by his wife, Princess Kate, and their eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“As my Grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future. And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a proud mother,” reports the Mirror.
He added: “For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message. Service. My father’s first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service. It was a pledge to continue to serve.”
Several social media users interpreted William’s speech as a veiled dig at Harry and Meghan.
“Service Harry. Do you hear that? Not a free ride,” one viewer commented on X (Twitter).
“SERVICE. Something Harry doesn’t understand,” another user added. When the Sussexes dropped the bombshell that they were stepping back from Royal duties, the Palace was quick to issue a formal statement.
(Image: Getty Images)
It stated: “Following conversations with the Duke, the Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.”
But Harry and Meghan weren’t having any of it, clapping back with their own fiery response: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
It’s been a whole year since the Coronation shindig, but the frosty air between Harry and the royals seems to be getting icier by the minute.
Harry, who rocked up to the Coronation service but skipped out on the rest of the fanfare, is gearing up for another UK comeback to celebrate a decade of the Invictus Games.
He’s set to attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday, May 8, where he’ll step up for a reading.
All eyes are on whether he’ll meet with his dad. The last time they were in the same room was when Harry made a lightning-fast return to Blighty after King Charles’ cancer news broke, squeezing in a brief 45-minute catch-up during a whirlwind 24-hour stay.
Sources close to the situation have dismissed any possibility of a reconciliation between Harry and his elder brother, William. As quoted by The Daily Beast, confidants revealed: “Both sides understand each other’s position clearly now. William and Catherine felt completely betrayed by Harry’s memoir. They don’t speak to Harry and Meghan, and they are certainly not about to start when Catherine is at her most vulnerable.”
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