Prince Harry left out as King Charles delivers powerful tribute to William

The 76-year-old monarch welcomed the French President and his wife Brigitte to the historic venue for his first State Visit hosted at Windsor since his accession to the throne.

During his speech, His Majesty made a particularly warm reference to his eldest son and daughter-in-law's family life at Windsor. The tribute formed part of the King's opening remarks celebrating the deep friendship between Britain and France.

King Charles praised William's choice to establish his family home at Windsor, drawing historical parallels to the castle's Norman origins.

"The Castle in which we meet this evening was begun by my ancestor - and your sometime countryman - William, Duke of Normandy, in the year 1070," King Charles told President Macron. "It remains the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world."

The monarch continued with his historical reference, stating: "So it is perhaps rather appropriate that my son, The Prince of Wales, who shares that earlier William's name, has made Windsor his home with his family, like so many of our predecessors."

The King's remarks drew a direct connection between the Norman Duke William who founded the castle and his eldest son, emphasising the continuity of royal residence at the historic Berkshire location.

However, the King did not mention his younger son, the Duke of Sussex, who has made a life for himself in Montecito, Santa Barbara with his wife, Meghan Markle. The Sussexes have been locked in a feud with the King and the Prince of Wales for several years, beginning when Meghan and Harry stepped back from royal life in 2020.

They are understood to not be on speaking terms, although Prince Harry recently told the BBC he wants "reconciliation" with his family.

The omission of any reference to Harry during the tribute underscored the continuing tensions between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.

The stark contrast between the warm praise for William's Windsor residence and the complete absence of any mention of Harry highlighted the ongoing rift.

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The Prince of Wales, 43, relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park in 2022 alongside Kate and their three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The family previously resided at Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace, which had formerly served as Princess Margaret's residence.

Adelaide Cottage sits just half a mile from Windsor Castle, which became Queen Elizabeth II's primary residence during her final years. The historic royal dwelling provides the family of five with access to the Berkshire countryside, where George, Charlotte and Louis now attend Lambrook School preparatory school.

During the St Patrick's Day Parade earlier this year, the Princess of Wales spoke openly about the family's countryside lifestyle. "We are in Windsor at the moment," Kate explained. "We were in London but moved there for more green space. It's close enough to London, not too far away."