Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Prince Harry has been ruled out of performing the duties of Counsellor of State while the King is in hospital over his enlarged prostate and Kate Middleton is in hospital for abdominal surgery.
The California royal will not be able to act on his father’s behalf while he’s incapacitated, as is the power afforded to the Counsellors of State. The 39-year-old was quietly removed from the list able to perform the role, alongside Prince Andrew.
Royal commentator Judita Dasilva said that the snub is the result of Prince Harry’s decision to step back from royal duties, rather than a personal attack.
She told GB News: “I think it’s just a question of the practical consequences to the public position he has taken.
“When you publicly come out and say that you disagree with the position, the functionality and the modus operandum of the Firm – when the Queen was alive and post that – you cannot occupy a position of Counsellor of State.”
Discussing Prince Andrew’s omission, she said bluntly: “Prince Andrew is pretty much radioactive and can’t occupy any public position at this point in time”.
The news comes as Prince Harry keeps calm and carries on in California, after he was named ‘A Living Legend of Aviation’ at a glitzy ceremony. Grease and Pulp Fiction superstar John Travolta presented the royal father-of-two with his medal in Beverly Hills, California, on Friday (January 19).
However, Harry’s induction into the Hall of Fame has been mocked, notably by Colonel Richard Kemp, who said it was affront to British pilots who performed military heroics.
He told the Sun: “I can understand why it’s happening. It’s all obviously about publicity. He’s a celebrity and a very well known person, and of course it gives publicity to this award and the people that are promoting it.
“But there are many people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, possibly even fighting now in against the terrorism in Yemen.
“A large number of military pilots, helicopter and fixed wing aircraft have carried out some extraordinary feats of valor and phenomenal aviation that I’m afraid Harry didn’t do.”