Prince Harry could lose his military titles after exit from royal family, says Royal Navy source
As the royal family is yet to work out the details of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit following their announcement that they were stepping down from duties as senior members of the monarchy, it also left hanging the question of whether Harry would remain the head of the Royal Marines following his resignation.
Harry replaced Prince Philip last year as the Captain-General of the elite Corps. He has served in the Blues and Royals since 2006 as an air controller and then as an Apache pilot besides serving twice in Afghanistan. He served alongside 40 Commando in Helmand Province and was present for the opening of a new base at Plymouth. Then came his promotion to the post that was maintained by his grandfather till 2019.
His appointment to the top post was seen as a "brilliant move" that would inspire young men and women to join the Marines.
If he were to continue in his role, at some point after he retired 10 years later, he would be entitled to receive an Army pension to the amount of around £10,000 ($13,000) annually, boosted by his qualification as an Apache helicopter pilot.
Apart from being the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines, he also had other honorary roles—being the Squadron Leader in the RAF and a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and a retired Major in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry.
His exit along with his wife from the royal family has cast doubt on his future in the military and the titles that he currently holds, according to Royal Navy sources who spoke to Mirror.
However, some senior officers said that, even if Harry was to quit the Marines, it would not make a lot of difference as it often seemed that he liked wearing the military uniform more than participating in the physical activities of the corps.
"A lot of lads were not impressed that he was just given a beret and his commando badges yet he did nothing for them, not one run, nothing. He won’t be missed. His Dad who heads the paras underwent the jumps the course before the Army would let him wear wings, yet we just gave our beret and badges away," one officer told Mirror.