The Duke of Sussex was reportedly denied permission for a garland to be laid at the Cenotaph on his behalf, in the latest sign of a family rift.
Prince Harry, who spent ten years in the armed forces, made a personal request to Buckingham Palace but was refused due to the fact he’d left royal duties in March.
The Queen was not thought to have been notified of the request or its refusal, which is said to have profoundly saddened the Duke of Sussex.
Prince Harry highlighted the importance of Remembrance Sunday during an appearance on a military podcast to mark the event.
On the interview with the Declassified podcast, he described the day as a moment for respect and hope and the ex-royal said that it was the act of remembering, of remembrance which was a profound act of honour.
He said that was how we preserve the legacies of whole generations and offer our appreciation for the sacrifices they made for us to be able to live the lives we live today.
In previous years, the Duke has celebrated the day with visits to the Cenotaph and Westminster Abbey’s Field of Remembrance, and he first attended the Cenotaph in 2009, aged 25.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was also not expected to attend the ceremony and Buckingham Palace refused to comment on whether Prince Harry’s request had been denied and Prince Harry’s spokespeople had been contacted for comment.
During the podcast, Harry even spoke about his experiences and said he treasured his association with veterans, describing coming together as like meeting an old friend.
He added that he will wear a poppy to remember all those who had served – the soldiers he knew, as well as those he didn’t – the soldiers that were at his side in Afghanistan, those who had their lives changed permanently, and those that didn’t come home.
And he said that he wears the poppy to commemorate the courage and determination of all our veterans, and their loved ones, particularly those in our Invictus family and he said that these were the people and the moments he recalls when he salutes and when he stands to attention and when he lays a wreath at the Cenotaph.
Harry started the Invictus Games in 2014 for injured, wounded and sick armed service personnel and veterans from around the world to compete in a range of sports.
Services for Remembrance Sunday this year are significantly impacted due to the pandemic, with a full lockdown in England and other constraints in place across the United Kingdom, with the UK Government urging councils to ensure remembrance services are brief, completely alfresco and held in front of limited numbers.
We understand that Harry left the United Kingdom, but he still served as a soldier and he served for a long time. He saw lots of his friends that he served with wounded, some of them died.
Just because he left the United Kingdom doesn’t make him some kind of robot, bereft of any feeling for those that died for our country. However, the people that are devoid of any feeling are the Royal Family, and it just shows what reprobates these people are, those boys weren’t even allowed to cry at their mother’s funeral – what are these people, monsters?
The Duke of Sussex, who now lives in the United States with his wife Meghan and their son Archie said that even when we can’t all be together, we always remember together.
This man, this human being, this SOLDIER served his country and he should never be denied!
