Royal rule change. Prince Harry will now be able to wear his military uniform to the final vigil for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Harry, 38, will be one of seven of the
queen’s grandchildren present to stand near her coffin in silence for 15
minutes at the vigil held in Westminster Hall, according to a tweet from royal
reporter Omid Scobie on Thursday, September 15. (The U.K.’s The Mirror was
first to report the update.)
The vigil takes place on Saturday,
September 16, before Elizabeth is laid to rest in a state funeral the following
Monday. Earlier this week, Buckingham Palace confirmed to several outlets that
an exception would be made for Prince Andrew, who served more than 20 years in
the Royal Navy, to wear his uniform at the event despite not being a working
member of the royal family. Harry, however, was not granted the same honor.
As the news raised eyebrows, the
Archewell cofounder addressed the situation via his spokesperson. “[Prince
Harry] will wear a morning suit throughout events honoring 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,” the statement read on Tuesday, September 13.
Why Can’t Prince Harry Wear His
Military Uniform? A Breakdown
Harry was a member of the armed forces
for 10 years, serving on the front lines in Afghanistan in 2007. After he and
Meghan Markle chose to step down from their senior duties in 2020, the prince
lost his honorary titles: Captain General Royal Marines, Honorary Air
Commandant of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving.
(Andrew, for his part, was stripped of his military titles in the wake of his
2019 sexual assault scandal. The lawsuit was settled in February.)
Before the palace’s change of heart, a
source told Us Weekly that Harry had “come to terms with not wearing uniform on
these occasions” following his royal exit. “Whilst that’s disappointing in some
senses, he’s just grateful to be present and honoring the queen. At the end of
the day, it’s only a uniform,” the insider added.
The Duke of Sussex joined Prince
William, King Charles III and more royal family members behind the queen’s
hearse during her procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on
Wednesday, September 14. Unlike his brother, 40, and father, 73, Harry wore a
morning suit with his medals attached to the lapels instead of his official
uniform. The BetterUp CIO also did not salute the national memorial, instead
bowing his head in a subtle showing of respect.
Prince William and Prince Harry’s
Complicated Relationship Over the Years
After his grandmother’s death on
September 8, Harry spoke out about their sweet bond and the memories they
shared. “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 a Monday, September 12, statement. “You are already
sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first
meetings, we now honor my father in his new role as King Charles III.”
The loss has been “intensely
difficult” for Harry and his older brother, a second source told Us. “They both
adored their grandma and it will take some time to process the reality of her
passing. … There’s still this horrendous sense of loss and emptiness thinking
that she’ll no longer be around.”
Source: usmagazine.com