Queen Camilla, the newly appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers, hosted the first reception at Clarence House.
This move comes as Prince Harry, who has made controversial claims about his stepmother, is in London to provide evidence for his lawsuit against MGN. Some view Queen Camilla's appointment as a fresh snub to the Duke of Sussex during his visit to the country.
Queen Elizabeth II attended the reception alongside former and current members of the regiment, marking her second engagement of the day.
Buckingham Palace made the announcement on the royal family's social media accounts, sharing photos of Camilla with the caption stating that Her Majesty the Queen has been appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers. The regiment, formed in 2015 through amalgamations, has a rich royal history. On Instagram, the royal family posted a clip of Camilla celebrating Lieutenant Michael De Berg's 100th birthday.
The caption mentioned that on the day the Queen was appointed Colonel-in-Chief, she presented Mr. De Berg with a regimental honor, the Buccleuch Medal. Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, are among the former Colonels associated with the regiment. Her Majesty's father, the late Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during World War II.
Camilla appeared at the event wearing a long royal blue dress with puffy sleeves, an open button collar neckline, and 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 (MGN). It is reported that he did not see his father, the King, or his brother, the Prince of Wales, during his short trip, despite staying at Frogmore Cottage.
According to The Telegraph, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor is likely to be the Sussexes' last stay, as King Charles requested them to vacate the property after the release of Harry's memoir, "Spare." Prince Andrew is said to be offered the cottage as an alternative residence, although he is resisting the move.
The strained relationship between the Sussexes and senior members of the royal family became more evident recently when none of the official Twitter accounts belonging to King Charles and Prince William wished Harry's daughter, Lilibet, a happy second birthday.
This contrasts with last year's celebrations when the official accounts for the royal family, King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales all wished Lilibet a happy first birthday.
A royal expert suggests that the lack of acknowledgment from senior members of the royal family reflects the strained relationship between King Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It is seen as an indication of their future social media practices.
