Prince Harry has asked that the focus continue to remain on his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and her funeral, rather than on what he will wear, after it was confirmed he would not be permitted to wear his military uniform.
On Monday, it was reported that the Duke of Sussex will be denied the chance to wear his military uniform as he mourns the Queen during the five upcoming ceremonial funeral occasions because he is no longer a working member of the royal family.
While the rule applies to the duke, it was reported that Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, will be allowed to wear his uniform as a special mark of respect for the Queen at the final vigil in Westminster Hall. This exception is notable as he, too, is not a working member of the royal family.
On Tuesday, Prince Harry, who served two front line tours of duty in Afghanistan, addressed the rule barring him from wearing his military uniform in a statement released through his spokesperson. He confirmed he would be wearing a morning suit and asked that the “focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”.
“[Prince Harry] will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother. His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” a spokesperson for the duke told The Independent.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as senior members of the royal family in March 2020 and relocated to Montecito, California.
The couple have returned to the UK only a handful of times since announcing their decision, including for a surprise meeting with the Queen in April.
While the duke and duchess have spoken about their tense relationships with certain members of the royal family, Prince Harry continued to have a close relationship with his grandmother.
In a statement shared to his and Meghan’s Archewell website after the Queen’s passing, Prince Harry said: “In celebrating the life of my grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen - and in mourning her loss - we are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty.
“She was globally admired and respected. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy. Let us echo the words she spoke after the passing of her husband, Prince Philip, words which can bring comfort to all of us now: ‘Life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings,’” he wrote.
In the tribute, Prince Harry also referred to his grandmother as his “Commander-in-Chief,” with the duke noting that one of his fondest memories includes “meeting [the Queen] for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief”.
“Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings - from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between,” he wrote.
In the upcoming days, the royal family will pay tribute to the Queen during the Service of Thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, the procession to Westminster Hall and service of prayer and reflection, the Vigil at Westminster Hall, the state funeral at Westminster Abbey and the Committal Service at St George’s Chapel Windsor.
