Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96. Her burial and funeral processions are scheduled to be held on September 19, 2022. Before that, the Queen’s coffin and body will be laid down in Westminster Hall, where the public will be able to pay their tributes. For the Queen’s vigil, it has been reported that Prince Harry will not be allowed to wear his military uniform.
The Duke of Duchess served in the British Army for a decade. He was even deployed in Afghanistan twice. Then why isn’t the royal protocol allowing Harry to pay respect to his late grandmother in the military uniform? Here’s what all has happened.
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Prince Harry Was Stripped Off Of His Military Appointments
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as the senior members of the royal family, it came with a lot of other conditions and luxuries they had to give up. One of the toughest part about it for Prince Harry was to renounce his military appointments. His uncle, Andrew, was also stripped of his military status because of a case of sexual misconduct in January 2022, but he’ll be allowed to be in his military uniform to pay his respect to the late queen.
The August 2020 book, ‘Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of the Modern Royal Family,‘ which revealed biographical parts of Meghan and Harry’s lives, revealed that Prince Harry had a tough time accepting that he’d have to give up his military appointments. It was the hardest part of stepping down as the senior members of the royal family. The book reads, “That’s been a tough pill to swallow, and one that has been the most painful for [his wife] Meghan [Markle] to witness him go through. It’s the one that made Harry emotional.”
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Meghan Markle Comments About Harry’s Relationship With The Military Veteran Community
“It was so unnecessary,” Meghan expressed how she felt about it to a friend of the decision to strip Harry of his military titles. “And it’s not just taking something away from him; it’s also the entire military veteran community. You can see how much he means to them, too. So why? The powers [of the institution] are unfortunately greater than me.”
King Charles III has proclaimed that all working royals are to wear military uniforms to the ceremonies being held for the queen during the period of mourning. The exception was made for Andrew, but not for Harry. He has been denied permission. It is, as Meghan has commented in the book, quite shocking and unnecessary considering Prince Harry’s contribution to the military. He served for 10 years, rose to the rank of captain, showed excellent military skills in Afghanistan, and has been very passionate about his military appointments. He even addressed his late grandmother as his commander-in-chief.
BAZAAR has speculated that this decision of not allowing him in his military uniform could have been a decision of King Charles III, the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, Queen Elizabeth II before her passing, or a combination of the royalties.
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