Prince Harry has been given permission to wear his military uniform on Saturday for a lying-in-state vigil staged by the Queen's grandchildren at Westminster Hall.
The Queen’s eight grandchildren, including Harry and brother Prince William the new Prince of Wales, will stand on Saturday evening in silence for a 15 minute vigil alongside Her Majesty’s coffin. The Queen's other grandchildren - Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara and Peter Philips and Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn are also understood to be forming part of the guard of honour.
Palace officials are understood to have intervened after it emerged that the Duke of Sussex's disgraced uncle Prince Andrew, who also no longer a working royal, had been given special permission to wear his uniform at a vigil over the Queen’s coffin tomorrow, despite being banned at earlier ceremonial events, according to The Mirror.
Read more: The Queen to be buried alongside Prince Philip in private burial at Windsor Castle
The new sovereign Charles III will be joined by the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex who will all play central roles in the historic 'Vigil of the Princes' at 7.30pm on Friday evening.
A royal source said: “Common sense has prevailed. It was a ludicrous situation given the Duke of Sussex has served his country and is a highly respected member of the armed forces with everything he has done for veterans. It is important that the Queen's grandchildren are all made to feel welcome and comfortable as they grieve their beloved grandmother together."
Harry, who served in the British army for a decade including two tours of Afghanistan, had this week been at the centre of a row over whether he would be allowed to wear his Blues and Royals uniform, after being stripped of his military appointments and banned from wearing his military uniforms in public after quitting his royal role in 2020.
But after he walked behind the Queen's coffin on Wednesday wearing morning dress while the monarch, his brother the Prince of Wales and other close relatives were all in military uniform adorned with medals, people took to social media to question the decision.
@cbouzy said on Twitter : "I still don't understand why Harry doesn't get to wear his military uniform. Harry served with honour and saw combat. What does not being a working royal have to do with his service in the military?" while @tarmactorque said: "They took away his right to wear his military uniform, he’s the only person who has done 10 years of active service, rest are playing dress up Now the world is watching him relive the same walk he did behind his mothers coffin."
@StigAbell said: "Prince Harry fought for this country in uniform. He’s entitled to wear it whether or not he’s still a working royal. Indeed it’s a thing of which the family should be openly proud," and @TheRealPeterWa1 said:" It does seem slightly ironic that the two members of the Royal Family to have seen active war service ( Andrew in the Falklands and Harry in Afghanistan) are the only two ex servicemen not allowed to wear their uniforms. Medals and Orders there for all to see though. V strange."
Prior to the procession, Prince Harry 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”.
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