Queen Elizabeth II funeral: Princes Harry and Andrew suitably shamed

Prince Harry and Prince ­Andrew were dressed in morning suits and avoided saluting the Queen’s coffin at Wednesday’s gun carriage procession.

Prince Andrew and Prince Harry march from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday. Picture: AFP

Prince Harry and Prince ­Andrew, the two members of the royal family who have actively served in the military, were dressed in morning suits and avoided saluting the Queen’s coffin at Wednesday’s gun carriage procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

The two looked strikingly different from the rest of their family, who were dressed in full military regalia for the 38-minute slow march, because as non-working royals they have been stripped of military patronages.

In his early days as King, Charles has shown to be a stickler for protocol, and in fresh discussions behind the scenes has reportedly agreed that under a century-old act, Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibet, will ­become a prince and princess now they are the grandchildren of the monarch.

But Harry and wife Meghan have been “furious” that their children won’t be afforded His and Her Royal Highness titles, which would involve dedicating them specific taxpayer-funded security measures.

The Sun reported: “They have been insistent that Archie and Lilibet are prince and princess. They have been relentless since the Queen died. But they have been left furious that ­Archie and Lilibet cannot take the title HRH. That is the agreement – they can be prince and princess but not HRH because they are not working royals.”

The Sussexes have futilely ­argued Andrew’s children, Princess Beatrice, now a counsellor of state who can fulfil important constitutional duties, and Princess Eugenie have been allowed to keep their HRH titles.

The Sussexes have been ­publicly hostile about the royal family since moving across the Atlantic, yet use their titles and royal connection for commercial gain.

The Queen’s decision in 2021 to take away Harry’s military ­titles meant both Harry and ­Andrew could only bow their heads as the cortege passed the Cenotaph on Whitehall, while King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William produced snappy salutes.

The Queen removed Harry’s military patronages when he ­decided not to be a working royal and moved to California with Meghan.

The clashing of royal and military protocols meant the public could only identify Harry and Andrew’s military associations from the medals they wore showing active service: Harry with two active tours of Afghanistan; and Andrew who served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot in the Falklands War.

The Queen had avoided such overt comparisons at the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021 by ordering everyone to wear morning dress.

But for her cortege procession, King Charles wore a full day ceremonial uniform with the rank of Field Marshal; Anne wore an naval uniform; William wore RAF No. 1 uniform; and ­Edward wore a Blues Uniform with the rank of Honorary Royal Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry. They are likely to wear the same uniforms at the Queen’s funeral.

King Charles decided that Andrew, whose sidelining from royal duties was because of his friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, resulting in a civil payment to one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, would be allowed to wear military dress on one ceremonial occasion as a special mark of ­respect for the Queen.