Prince Harry penned a moving essay ahead of Remembrance Day on November 11, where he celebrates “the things that make us British.” In the 672-word essay, titled “The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British,” Prince Harry reflected on his experiences in the army, visiting the frontlines in Ukraine, and working with military charities. Although the Prince lives in Montecito, California with his wife, Meghan, and their two children, Harry wrote that “Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for.”
“The banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands ridiculous as it sounds, these are the things that make us British,” Prince Harry said of his time in the British Army. The prince served first as forward air controller and later as an Apache helicopter pilot for over 10 years. He wrote of the “stoic spirit of self-deprecation and humour” of the Brits, sharing, “I love it.”
Prince Harry shared the essay ahead of Veterans Day in the United States, Remembrance Sunday in the U.K., and other remembrance events worldwide. The Prince encouraged people to “remember not only the fallen, but the living—those who still carry the weight of war in body and mind, and the families who bear its memory in their hearts.”
Support for veterans is a pillar of Prince Harry’s charitable work. From spearheading the Invictus Games to visiting Scotty’s Little Soldiers as a Global Ambassador, Harry uses his platform to promote these organizations on a worldwide scale. Through both his military service and his charity work, the Prince “saw how easy it can be, once the uniform comes off, for those who gave everything, to feel forgotten.”
Ahead of Remembrance Day, Prince Harry reminded us to remember the veterans in our communities, writing, “if you live near them, knock on their door. If you see them around, shake their hand. And if you feel so inclined, join them for a cuppa…or a pint, to hear their story and remind them their service still matters.”
