Prince William has received strong backlash from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's supporters after the Prince of Wales's photos with Earthshot Prize CEO Jason Knauf surfaced online.
Jason Knauf, who had served as the Sussexes’ communications secretary, is blamed by Harry and Meghan's fans for accusing the Duchess of Sussex of bullying palace staff.
He is also disliked by the US-based couple's supporters for contradicting Harry's wife in her lawsuit against a British newspaper where Knauf actually backed the paper's defence.
Prince William made Jason Knauf, his former CEO of The Royal Foundation and Senior Advisor, Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, a move seen by the the supporters of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as a reward for what they called his betrayal.
"Why is Jason Knauf, an aide to Prince William, walking next to him side-by-side, at the Earthshot function in Brazil? Is this Royal protocol? Are we missing something here? shouldn’t Jason be to the side, a few steps behind the Prince? PS, where is the Princess of Wales?," said an X user commenting on the pair's photo.
Another wrote, "Meghan Sussex presented her husband at the opening of the Invictus Games Vancouver, they shared a light and H took the stage.
A beautiful moment etched on the world’s history.
Willy (Prince William) takes Jason Knauf, while he talks about his children’s future. "
Putting fuel on the fire, Buckingham Palace chose to share a picture of William sitting with Jason Knauf at the Earthshot Prize event in Brazil as it issued a statement on Thursday on the royal family's official website.
The appearance of Knauf's photo on the royal family's website raised some eyebrows since it came amid reports of ongoing reconciliation efforts between Harry and King Charles.
As part of these efforts, Harry had also met his father at Clarence House during his last visit to the UK.
Several royal observers claimed that Prince William was not happy with his father's decision to make peace with his youngest son after what he wrote about the family in his tell all memoir and what he said against his father and brother during his media appearances.
The timing of palace's decision to share Knauf's photo on the royal family's website has also raised questions about the future of Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship with Harry and Meghan.