Prince Harry will have an unlikely ally at King Charles' Coronation in the form of First Lady Jill Biden.
US President Joe Biden called Charles to inform him he won't be attending the momentous day on May 6, but revealed his wife would be taking his place.
While the decision has raised some eyebrows, especially after Biden and his wife travelled to London for the funeral of the late Queen last September, a sitting US President has never been at a Coronation.
One person who will be particularly pleased to see Mrs Biden will be the Duke of Sussex, who has a friendship with her which began a decade ago.
The professor and the prince first formed a bond over their shared interest in veterans - and both Bidens have attended Harry's Invictus Games.
During Harry's 2013 tour of the US, he attended a reception of American and British wounded service members along with Jill, who was second lady at the time.
Harry credits that trip with giving him the inspiration to start the Invictus Games - and Mrs Biden cheered the US team on at the inaugural event in London in 2014.
She also attended the event in Florida in 2016 and in Toronto in 2017 along with her husband, who has joked about how close his wife and Harry had become.
Joking about his wife's involvement in the inaugural Games, Biden said: "Jill went to London for the last Games. She spent too much damn time with Prince Harry!"
He also joked about how easily the pair had hit it off, saying at the time: "I read in the Guardian, or one of them, and it says — I'm paraphrasing — 'everywhere Prince Harry went, he had this blonde woman on his arm.' The vice-president's wife! I'm a little worried here, you know what I mean?"
At the virtual Warrior Games event held last week, Dr. Biden spoke highly of Harry, specifically citing his military service and work with veterans.
"You live by a simple principle: Serve together, recover together," Dr. Biden said. "It's a philosophy not limited by the flag you wave ... you've dedicated your time, talents and heart to lifting up service members from around the globe."
Jill also recently revealed that she had finished Harry's autobiography Spare - but didn't give an opinion on the contents.
Recently, the Sussexes have endured a serious fall in popularity in the US, taking them lower than disgraced royal Prince Andrew.
According to a poll conducted by Redfield & Wilton for Newsweek on February 19, Harry was disliked by 42% of Americans, compared to 32% who said they liked him — with a 'net approval rating of -10.
The same poll saw Harry at 38 points in a December 5 poll showing a staggering 48 point drop in popularity.
They have also been mocked by Hollywood celebs. such as Chris Rock and Rebel Wilson, and were made fun of in a savage episode of South Park.
On Tuesday, Mr Biden called Charles to inform him that he will not be attending the investiture of the new monarch and told him the First Lady will take his place.
The president congratulated him ahead of his coronation, which will be held at Westminster Abbey, and also expressed his desire to meet Charles in the UK at a future date.
A White House statement read: "President Joseph R Biden Jr spoke today with King Charles III, underscoring the strength of the relationship between our countries and the friendship between our peoples.
"The president congratulated the King on his upcoming coronation and informed him that First Lady Jill Biden looks forward to attending on behalf of the United States.
"The president also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date."
