Prince Harry tries to quell controversy over denial of uniform

Prince Harry has insisted that his decade of military service – including stints in Afghanistan – is not determined by the uniform he wears.

From left, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and Catherine at Buckingham Palace in 2018. Picture: AFP

Prince Harry has insisted that his decade of military service – including stints in Afghanistan – is not determined by the uniform he wears, inflaming further controversy about the military dress code for the Queen’s funeral.

Harry’s press office said on Tuesday: “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.”

Harry has been denied the right to wear military dress for any of the ceremonial events commemorating the Queen up to and including her funeral on Monday because he was stripped of his military titles when he stepped aside from royal duties and went to live in California.

When the Queen removed all of Harry’s royal patronages and military ranks at the beginning of last year, Harry and his wife, Meghan, issued a blunt message: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.’’

Prince Andrew will also wear a morning suit at the various events because he lost his military titles and patronages in the wake of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and the civil settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who says she was a sex slave for Epstein.

However, the palace has approved Andrew wearing a uniform, expected to be the full military dress uniform of a vice-admiral of the navy, during the vigil in Westminster Hall as a “final mark of respect” for his mother.

In his morning suit, Harry is expected to walk behind the gun carriage carrying his grandmother’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, with other members of the royal family, triggering memories of a similar journey when his mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales, was buried 25 years ago.

Buckingham Palace issued an advice that only working members of the royal family would wear military uniform at five ceremonial events scheduled during the period of mourning.

They include the gun carriage procession and service of prayer and reflection on Wednesday, a vigil at Westminster Hall, the state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday and the following committal service at St George’s Chapel Windsor.