Prince Harry, a military veteran, had asked to have a wreath of poppies laid at the London Remembrance Day ceremony, a national memorial for servicemen and women who had fallen. But Buckingham Palace turned down his request. It was yet another incident that shows how much he had become ostracized from the family.
Harry, 36, and his wife Meghan Markle had asked to step back from royal duties in March. According to sources privy to the matter, Harry’s request was turned down by palace officials because he is no longer represented in the family on official issues. It cannot be verified if the Queen knew of the request before it was turned down.
Instead, it was his father, Prince Charles, and brother, Prince Williams, who represented the Queen. Prince Charles laid a wreath on behalf of the Queen, and for himself also. Prince Williams did likewise.
Prince Harry served in the British Army for 10 years, rising to the rank of Captain and undertaking two tours of Afghanistan. He was expected to have been in the UK, but the coronavirus pandemic disrupted travel plans. Sources said had he been physically present, he would have made a tribute of his own to his fallen compatriots.
However, it was not all disappointing for Harry, who took part in a podcast with other veterans and spoke about what military service meant to him. It was a podcast that explored different areas pertaining to his time in service. He said the weekend remembrance in the UK gave him the chance to remember the sacrifices of millions of service people.
The podcast, which was released on Saturday, was titled declassified. Harry talked about the British tradition of wearing poppies during this celebration. He said he followed the same tradition to honor soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice during his time in Afghanistan and those whose lives were changed forever.
He said the birth of his son Archie had given him the opportunity to channel all the values that military service had taught him into his civilian life. Harry first attended the Cenotaph in 2009 when he was aged 25. This year’s remembrance services were short, and the UK government had urged that all services be held outdoor and with a limited number of people in attendance.
Since stepping down from official royal duties, Harry now lives in California with his wife and son. Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the matter. Prince Harry’s representatives also declined comments on the incident.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
