Prince Harry was "devastated" at having to remove the 'ER' symbol from his military uniform as he held vigil by her coffin - even though Prince William was allowed to keep his, it is claimed.
The Duke of Sussex, who has seen active service in Afghanistan, took part in a vigil last night alongside William and cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Prince Edward's children Lady Louise Windsor and her brother James, Viscount Severn were also present.
However the Mirror reports that Harry's uniform was notably lacking in the initials 'ER' -- Elizabeth Regina, 'regina' being Latin for 'queen' -- that are usually displayed in honour of his grandmother. Harry was allowed to wear the military uniform inside the hall after he was given permission by his father, King Charles III.
It was originally reported the plans were that he would wear a morning suit due to him no longer being a working royal. After the initials were not removed from Prince William, a pal told The Sunday Times: "He is heartbroken. To remove his grandmother's initials feels very intentional."
Reports suggest Harry nearly decided to wear the morning suit anyway to avoid "humiliation". However it does not appear to be an intentional snub - the initials are traditionally only worn by those 'in service' of the monarch.
As he kept vigil, Harry wore the uniform of the Blues and Royals complete with Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals, Army Pilot Wings and the Afghanistan Operational Service Medal. Hopes for a reconciliation between the two brothers still seem like a long way away, despite some comparisons being made between them keeping vigil yesterday and the moment they walked behind Princess Diana's coffin in 1997.
The brothers have put on a united front in public along with their respective wives Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, despite the reports of the rift between them continuing. Tensions emerged long before Harry finally announced his decision to quit the royals in January 2020.
The two briefly had a chance meeting on Harry's 38th birthday on Thursday as William was returning with his children having collected them from school.
In his touching statement following the death of the Queen, Harry said: "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. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first meetings, we now honour my father in his new role as King Charles III."
Charles himself has recognised Harry's own desire to continue with his own affairs after separating from the working life of the Royal Family. In his address to the nation on Friday September 9, the new King said: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
