Prince Harry 'did not intend to snub King Charles' as real reason for medal row explained

Prince Harry didn't intend to snub King Charles during an award speech, royal insiders have said as the "real reason" for the gaffe has been laid bare. The Duke of Sussex wasn't wearing a Coronation medal given to him by the King when he presented an award for Soldier of the Year at a recent awards ceremony.

Such medals were handed out to those who actively contributed to the Coronations of King Charles and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023.

While the King's youngest son didn't wear his Coronation medal, he did don other military medals, including his Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan, the late Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Ephraim Hardcastle, royal commentator for the Daily Mail, has said Harry's failure to wear King Charles's Coronation medal was not meant as a snub.

He wrote: "My source whispers that the medal was 'swing-mounted' on a short ribbon and needed to be sent to a specialist to affix to a longer ribbon and mount on a hard backing to stop it from swinging around."

Mr Hardcastle quipped that maybe King Charles should have FedExed his travelling yeoman to California to do the job.

Harry, who last month formally confirmed he is now a resident of the United States, presented the award to US combat medic Sergeant First Class Elizabeth Marks. The prince hailed her "courage, resilience and determination".

The Duke served in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter co-pilot gunner in 2012-13 and as a forward air controller in 2007-08.

He famously wrote in his memoir, Spare, of killing 25 Taliban combatants, noting it gave him no satisfaction nor shame to take lives in battle.

His comments sparked outrage as well as concern from military analysts, veterans and the Taliban. A comment made by Harry that those he helped kill were like chess pieces removed from a board led a prominent Taliban member to complain: "The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans".

Colonel Tim Collins, who led a British battalion in the Iraq War told Forces News revealing the number was "not how you behave in the Army".

Royal Marines veteran Ben McBean told Sky News he didn't think it was wise, adding: "He's already got a target on his back, more so than anyone else."

The risk re-emerged this week in the wake of an announcement by a Nigerian military chief that Harry would visit the African country in May.

Former Head of Royal Protection Dai Davies told the Express Harry's comment would be one risk factor among several in a country with a large Muslim population.