'His military service is not determined by the uniform he wears': Harry hits out at uniform ban at funeral
ENGLAND, UK: Prince Harry's adored grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away, and the entire royal family along with the world have been in grief. Along with the continued grief, there has been much discussion about what the Duke of Sussex will wear now that he has resigned from his position as a senior working royal.
Harry, who is currently fifth in line for the throne, won't be showing up at the upcoming Queen Elizabeth II funeral wearing his military uniform, according to reports. He will participate in the mourning rituals, including the monarch's funeral, while dressed in a mourning suit. The 37-year-old will "dress in a morning suit during celebrations commemorating his grandmother," his representative to People, in a statement.
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The representative added, "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." Prince Harry lost his three honorary military titles after resigning from his senior royal duties in March 2020 along with his wife Meghan Markle.
Prince Harry made two trips to Afghanistan after eleven years of service in the British Army. He earned the titles of Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington, and Captain General of the Royal Marines.
Only working members of the royal family with military rank will don uniforms at the five major ceremonial events preceding and including the Queen's state funeral, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday, September 12. The mourning activities will see King Charles III, Prince William, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward, dressed in traditional uniform.
However, the Queen's son Prince Andrew and grandson Harry will not be attending in their traditional uniform because they are no longer senior working royals. The three other royal children, King Charles III, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward wore their uniforms for the Service of Thanksgiving held on Monday, September 12 at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.
King Charles III, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward are expected to be seen once more dressed in their traditional attire for the procession, prayer ritual, vigil, and state funeral for the deceased queen, which will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19. This will be followed by a Committal Service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, where she will be laid to rest.
Even though Andrew, 62, will be seen wearing suits for the rest of the lead-up festivities, he will don a military uniform for the closing vigil to show respect for his mother and the queen, who "peacefully" passed away at age 96 on Thursday. During his 22 years in the Royal Navy, Prince Andrew participated in the 1982 Falklands War as a helicopter pilot. In January 2022, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a victim of convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein's old network, accused him of sexual assault, leading to the removal of his royal patronage and military titles.
