Prince Harry spent a decade serving in the British Army and completed two tours of Afghanistan, but he will not stand alongside the Royal Family at the Cenotaph for the National Service of Remembrance.
The reason, according to royal protocol, is straightforward: the annual ceremony is led by working members of the Royal Family, and Harry has not held that role since stepping back from royal duties in 2020.
As Head of the Armed Forces, King Charles leads the solemn service in Whitehall. He is joined by the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, other senior working royals, politicians, military leaders and veterans as the nation pays tribute to those who lost their lives in conflict.
Prince Harry did not join the royals at the Cenotaph (Image: Getty)
Why Harry Cannot Take Part
Harry’s connection to the Armed Forces has long been an important part of his life. He served in the British Army for ten years, including two tours in Afghanistan, and has continued to support veterans and military communities.
However, his military record does not change his status within the Royal Family.
Former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter explained that the Cenotaph service is a national event intended for working royals to lead the country.
“That is a national event. It is for working royals to lead the country,” he said. “He is not a working royal. And therefore, that is not an option, and he can forget about that.”
The same principle applies to other major royal events, including Trooping the Colour. Harry’s absence is linked to his decision to step away from his role as a senior working royal.
The Army Gave Harry Structure and Purpose
In his book, On Duty With the Royals: The Inside Story of the Modern Monarchy, Mr Arbiter wrote that the Armed Forces played a defining role in Prince Harry’s life.
He said the military gave the Duke structure, discipline, purpose and an appreciation for meritocracy.
Mr Arbiter also suggested that leaving the Army was Harry’s “greatest error,” arguing that without the daily structure of military life, the Duke appeared to have lost an important sense of direction.
The ‘Half In, Half Out’ Agreement
Harry and his wife Meghan stepped back from royal life in 2020. An agreement was reached with the late Queen Elizabeth II that there could be no “half in, half out” role within the Royal Family.
The Sussexes subsequently moved to the United States and pursued commercial interests. As part of the arrangement, Harry also lost his honorary military appointments, including his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines.
The Duke was later left shocked and saddened when a request for a wreath to be laid on his behalf at the Cenotaph was refused. At the time, his grandmother maintained that such tributes were reserved for senior working royals.
Harry, Meghan and their children, Archie and Lilibet, returned to the UK at the end of last month ahead of the new school year and are believed to be living in the Cotswolds. Palace sources have stressed, however, that their relocation has not changed their position as non-working members of the Royal Family.
A Private Remembrance Weekend
Despite Prince Harry’s decade of military service and his continued commitment to veterans, the King’s position remains unchanged: the Duke does not have an official role at the Cenotaph while he remains a non-working royal.
Instead, Prince Harry and Meghan are expected to observe Remembrance weekend privately.