It’s been an emotional week
Prince Harry arrived wearing his morning suit and military medals.
He then processed behind his grandmother’s coffin as it moved from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey for her State Funeral service.
As the world watched Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, the ongoing conversation throughout the mourning season also fixated itself on wether Prince Harry, or the Queen’s son Prince Andrew, would be able to to wear their military uniform to the State Funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey.
King Charles III, and eldest son, Prince William, were both seen in their uniforms.
Harry gave up his honorary military titles in 2020 when he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down as senior members of the royal family.
Originally, the Duke of Sussex was not allowed to wear his military uniform to this weekend’s vigil.
A spokesperson for Harry released a statement last week, saying, “Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring 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.”
But over the weekend, King Charles III did permit Harry to wear his uniform while standing vigil at their grandmother’s coffin for 15 minutes of silence alongside William and their cousins.
William and Harry also processed behind their grandmother’s coffin as it traveled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday.
The brothers famously processed behind the coffin of their late mother, Princess Diana, at her 1997 funeral. Most recently, they reunited in April 2021 to walk behind the coffin of Prince Philip during his intimate funeral in Windsor, England.
Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal duties and military titles following his controversial relationship with convicted sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein, and wore his morning suit despite earlier reports that he would be allowed to wear his military uniform as a ‘mark of respect’ for his mother.
There had been questions about whether children would attend the service considering their age but the attendance of Prince William’s oldest two was confirmed in an order of service on Sunday.
Prince George, 9, is the second in line to the throne after his father Prince William, while Princess Charlotte,7, is third in line.
As well as the royal family, the funeral is being attended by hundreds of dignitaries from across the globe, including all of the Queen’s former prime ministers, US President Joe Biden and French President Macron.
Related links:
- People are losing it at how world leaders are being ‘treated’ at the Queen’s state funeral
- Prince Harry left ‘heartbroken’ after ‘ER’ initials stripped from military uniform
- Man charged after mourner grabbed the Queen’s coffin
- Prince Andrew’s return to public life condemned by Jeffrey Epstein victims
