On 19 February 2021, global news headlines revolved around one news—Prince Harry being stripped of his military positions.
Discover our latest podcast
Following the infamous Sussexit, Harry took the news with a pinch of salt. However, it hit the masses hard, as they deemed it unfair, in spite of the Prince’s brevity in the military forces.
Heartfelt letter to family
Prince Harry finally showed remorse as he remembered his friend Nathan Hunt.
Harry served alongside Nathan in several battles in Afghanistan in 2008.Nathan’s family has been trying to add his name to the National Armed Forces Memorial.
The Duke wished he could do more and said:
Had I been in the same role I once was.
Prince Harry wrote a heartfelt letter to the family and expressed:
I deeply empathise with what your family is going through and so wish I could assist formally, had I been in the same role I once was.
Nathan suffered mental health issues stemming from his military experience over the years. After the tumultuous journey, Nathan claimed his life in 2018. It haunts the Prince to date.
Respected Queen’s decision
In February, the Buckingham Palace said in a joint statement:
The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.
The Duke had only once expressed his grief before on the Oprah Winfrey show in March, with the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.
Even though the Prince had said that he was ‘hurt’ by his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II's decision to divest him of his honorary titles, but he wholly ‘respected’ her decision.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have praised the Queen on several occasions. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said:
As evidenced by their work over the past year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role.