Good Morning Britain viewers have been left seething after it was suggested disgraced Prince Andrew may be able to don his military uniform for the Queen’s funeral, but Prince Harry will not.
Prince Harry has been denied the chance to wear military uniform as he mourns the Queen, even though his disgraced uncle wore his medals at the lying in state vigil last night.
The ITV morning show discussed the topic this morning as it was pointed out that Harry, who saw action on the front line during two tours of duty in Afghanistan, will be in civilian dress for official events including the late monarch’s state funeral.
Only working royals – which Harry and Andrew are not – are being permitted to dress in uniform at five ceremonial occasions.
These are the St Giles’ Cathedral service in Edinburgh, where Andrew wore a morning suit, and the coffin’s procession to Westminster Hall, the vigil at the lying in state, the funeral in Westminster Abbey and the committal service in Windsor.
However, Andrew, who stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and later had his honorary titles stripped, wore his medals and Garter star last night and will be allowed to wear uniform for the final vigil around the Queen’s coffin during the lying in state in Westminster Hall.
He is being allowed to wear it as a special mark of respect for his later mother- but not on the other occasions.
It is likely to be a bitter blow for ex-solder Harry, who is proud of his decade in the forces and has the rank of captain, and who was saddened after being stripped of his honorary military roles including Captain General of the Royal Marines by the Queen post-Megxit.
The GMB panel consisted of Susanna Reid and Ben Shepard, and they were joined by Daily Mail editor Andrew Pierce and royal biographer Hugo Vickers.
Susanna kicked off the discussion, asking: “What people might be thinking this morning is why has Prince Harry been told he can, at no stage in this process, wear any military uniform or outfit?”
Royal biographer Hugo Vickers chimed in: “Assuming that to be the case, because things can change, you must remember that he was given the option to hold onto his various positions for a year and decide what he wanted to do with them. After that, he decided to stay on in California.
“You can’t be Captain General of the Royal Marines if you’re living in California and are a guy in blue jeans. You can’t do both, you need to be visible. You need to be there.”
“Was the Duke of York not stripped of his military titles?” Susanna asked.
A stuttering Hugo said: “He certainly was of The Grenadier Guards, for example. He’s no longer colonel of that, but he certainly won’t be wearing Grenadier Guards uniform, that’s for certain.
“He presumably will wear a naval uniform because he served in the Royal Navy.”
Ben Sheppard then clarified: “So he’s been given dispensation before the funeral itself whereas Prince Harry has been told he has to just be, in theory, in civvies.”
“I’m not convinced that we really know to be honest,” Hugo said. “I think we’ll be just as well to wait and see what happens.
“If you remember Prince Phillip’s funeral, none of them wore uniform so you’ve got this kind of uniformity if you like, and they all wore mourning dress.
“It looked fine and it’s a shame in a way because I think on this occasion being a state funeral, you do need them in their uniforms where possible. And if they’re not allowed to wear their uniforms then so be it.
“Prince Andrew looked fine in his mourning coat with his Garter star and medals, I thought.”
Later in the discussion, presenter Ben pointed out that Prince Harry will not be allowed to wear his military uniform but Prince Andrew will be.
“The important thing to remember is Prince Andrew will be banished from public life after this funeral,” Andrew Pierce said.
“That will be it. We won’t see him appearing in public any more so it is curious that he may be – and you’re right we don’t know that – if he is allowed to wear some sort of military and Harry isn’t, Harry served in Afghanistan, he’s still popular.
“It will seem like how come the guy who paid £12million to a woman in America he claims he can’t remember meeting, to settle a sex case, is allowed to.
“Part of this is because he is the Queen’s favourite son, we know this, it’s been reported many times.
“She had two children, Charles and Anne, she didn’t spend as much time with as they were growing up because she was a very busy new Queen. She spent more time with Andrew and Edward. That’s how this story has emerged.”
Viewers of the show were left furious by the news that Harry would not be allowed to wear his uniform, despite his years of service.
Taking to Twitter one fumed: “Surely with that logic Harry should be entitled to wear his. He served in Afghanistan.
“The boy specifically said Andrew could be wearing uniform because he served in the navy. Surely the same would apply to Harry.
“Suzanne starts by saying Harry has been told at no stage in this process can he wear any military uniform, yet the royal biographer claims Andrew may be able to wear his old navy one.
“He’s still a veteran and should be entitled to wear the dress uniform he served in.”
Another grumbled: “Absolutely disgraceful treatment of Harry, while we see that awful man in his medals, shameful.”
A third added: “Harry should be allowed to wear the uniform of his rank achieved during service. He earned it, all the protocol in the world cannot take that away from him. Same for Andrew - It's one day, then he can disappear into the sunset and look after the Queen's corgis.”
Another wrote: “If Harry can’t wear military uniform but Andrew can it tells you all we need to know about the royal family and the ‘firm’ absolutely appalling.”
“So Andrew, with his pretty rotten past can wear his but Harry, who simply dared to put his own wife and family first, can’t?? Nonsense,” another fumed.
To Hugo Vickers remark about Harry not being able to be Captain General of the Royal Marines while living in California, a witty viewer remarked: “And yet, you can live in London and be the King of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua & Barbuda and St Kitts & Nevis.
“Funny that …”
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