In a striking speech marking the 25th anniversary of the Senedd, the monarch showered praise on his eldest son, Prince William, and some believe it has a hidden meaning

King Charles has seemingly delivered a powerful yet subtle message to Prince Harry through his latest tribute to Prince William, underscoring the growing distance between the King and his younger son.

In a striking speech marking the 25th anniversary of the Senedd, the monarch showered praise on his eldest son, Prince William, while making no mention of Harry, even as the Duke of Sussex continues to be recognised internationally for his Invictus Games initiative.

The royal family’s social media channels shared a video of Charles address in Cardiff earlier this year, where he paid a heartfelt tribute to William for his dedication to Wales.

“It has given me great pleasure to see my son’s relationship with this special land continue, including returning only this week to Anglesey – Ynys Mon – a place which I know means so much to him” the King said. The speech was seen by many as a celebration of William’s role as Prince of Wales, a title he received after Charles ascended to the throne in 2022.

Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to Cardiff highlighted the King’s ongoing support for his heir, with the monarch emphasising the bond between William and Wales.

The timing of King Charles’ message, which came shortly after Harry’s own statement about the upcoming Winter Invictus Games in Vancouver Whistler, has led to speculation about the deepening rift between father and son.

Harry expressed excitement over the selection of Team UK for the first-ever Winter Invictus Games, saying: “These games present an incredible opportunity for our courageous service personnel and veterans to demonstrate their skills in new challenges like alpine skiing, snowboarding, and skeleton, as well as providing a truly memorable experience for their families.”

It comes as a judge has had a final say on Prince Harry’s US visa application after the royal admitted to taking drugs in his controversial memoir.

The Duke of Sussex admitted to using marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms in Spare, released in January 2023. A lawsuit from the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation argued that the Government should release records about the Duke’s visa application to show whether his drug use was disclosed.

The Washington-based foundation said that “widespread and continuous” coverage of Prince Harry’s drug use called into question whether or not the Government had ‘properly vetted’ the Prince and followed the right procedures when allowing him into the country. The group argued that the US law “generally renders such a person inadmissible for entry” to the country.

US visa applications specifically asks the individual about current and past drug use, which can have a detrimental impact on the progress of the application. Prolific drug use can lead to applications being rejected, however immigration officers use their discretion against a range of factors.

However, a US judge has now ruled that Harry’s application should remain private. Carl Nichols ruled on Monday that “the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the duke’s immigration records”. He added: “Like any foreign national, the duke has a legitimate privacy interest in his immigration status.”