King Charles notably excluded Prince Harry and Prince Andrew from his Christmas Day speech. The 76 year old monarch addressed the nation in a pre-recorded message from London's Fitzrovia Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital.
He expressed his pride in how UK communities responded to the riots and paid homage to the medical staff who aided him and the Princess of Wales during cancer treatment. However, his annual address included snippets of Prince William and the wider Royal Family, but there was no mention of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, or his scandal-ridden brother Prince Andrew.
Royal historian Dr Tessa Dunlop suggested that this omission indicated the King had 'clearly made up his mind'. Reviewing the King's speech, Tessa told The Mirror: "Lest we are in any doubt, the clever film that accompanied this speech, underscored the importance of the King's royal A-Team, on hand to deliver what Charles considers to be an alternative to global killing: a listening and understanding mission that leads to actions for the good of all.
"As well as a replay of the King's famous hug with the New Zealand women's rugby team, there was footage of Kate at Trooping the Colour, Camilla in Scotland and Australia, William serving food to the homeless and, of course, those Royal stalwarts, Princess Anne and the Edinburghs."
Tessa went on: "Crucially, also-rans Princes Andrew and Harry were nowhere to be seen. The King has clearly made up his mind about how to 'act for the good of all', choosing to focus on family strengths, not weaknesses, to shore up a nation (and a world) for a difficult year ahead."
It's been a while since Harry and Andrew have featured in a monarch's Christmas speech, with the late Queen Elizabeth notably excluding them from her 2019 message. The King has since abandoned this tradition entirely, reports the Mirror.
While their absence was significant, another royal expert suggested that the King's change of backdrop was also indicative of the strained relationships. Robert Hardman said the unusual decision to film the Christmas speech outside of royal grounds might have saved Charles from the typical intense scrutiny of the photos displayed.
The backdrop of the monarch's annual message often sparks debate when pictures of Harry and Meghan are missing. But instead of having framed photographs behind him at Buckingham Palace as the Queen traditionally did, the King only had a Christmas tree, lights and a beautiful view of the chapel.
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Mr Hardman told the Daily Mail: "By avoiding a Royal desk or sitting room, the King has also avoided any micro-analysis of whichever Royal photographs and portraits are in shot, and thus hinting at who is (or is not) in Royal favour. The Fitzrovia Chapel reveals nothing more tantalising than a Christmas tree decorated with 'sustainable' decorations.
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