Prince Harry is the only one of Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren to ever set foot in a theater of war. Harry served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and he described his military career extensively in his memoir. Well, even before he wrote his memoir and before the Oprah interview in 2021, Buckingham Palace “punished” Harry for leaving the UK. They punished him by refusing to lay his wreath on the Cenotaph for Remembrance Day in 2020. It was one of the most blatantly cruel moves from the royals, to refuse to place a veteran’s wreath out of pure spite. Two years later, the royals ordered the Poppy Factory to remove Harry’s wreath from their display as well. Well, Harry still has friends in the UK, so he had something done in honor of the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. Someone placed a letter from Harry at the National Memorial Arboretum. Harry wrote the letter as tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip, who was in the Pacific theater during WWII.
Prince Harry has paid tribute to his late grandfather Prince Philip with a letter secretly placed at the National Memorial Arboretum to mark the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day.
The Duke of Sussex asked a friend to place the note and a wreath at the Burma Star Memorial in Staffordshire following the national service of remembrance last Friday.
The letter was placed after King Charles III and Queen Camilla had left in an apparent effort to avoid distracting from the official royal commemorations, reported GB News.
Harry, 40, wrote: ‘For me, this anniversary carries an added layer of meaning. My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Pacific campaign. He spoke with quiet humility about those years, but I know how deeply he respected all who stood beside him in that theatre of war. Today, as I think of him, I think also of each of you, of the shared hardships, the bonds forged, and the legacy you leave.’
The service – also attended by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – was hosted by the Royal British Legion and the UK Government at the site in Alrewas, Staffordshire.
The news just came out a short time ago and I’ve already seen some FURY and RAGE from the royalists. You know why, right? Because Harry did more to honor his grandfather on VJ Day than Prince William did. William sent a tweet from his fifth mansion. Harry actually had a personal letter hand-delivered to the National Memorial Arboretum. Meanwhile, the royalists had to spend the entire weekend tiptoeing around the fact that William and Kate looked incredibly stupid and lazy for refusing to show up for VJ Day.
Willy and Kate Macbeth are not even pretending to be working royals anymore. Even the staunchest monarchists can no longer defend their lazy ways. pic.twitter.com/pqooc9o9FF
— Zandi Sussex (@ZandiSussex) August 15, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- The Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Sussex leave after the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Picture date: Saturday May 18, 2019. .,Image: 506549190, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- 18/05/2019. Windsor , United Kingdom. Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry leaving the Lady Gabriella Windsor wedding at St.George’s Chapel, Windsor, United Kingdom.,Image: 506549519, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- 144439, Prince Harry, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Cambridge at the Rugby World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at Twickenham,Image: 532007703, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- 144439, Prince Harry and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Rugby World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at Twickenham,Image: 532007750, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- Mcc0092366 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the 91st Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, meeting veterans,Image: 540840634, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arriving at the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. UK. Wednesday 8th May 2024 -,Image: 871355456, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Invictus Games 10th Anniversary, Credit line: JW / Bang Showbiz / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex attend the 91st Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in London, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019.
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- Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex attend the 91st Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in London, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019.
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- MANDATORY CREDIT: Chris Allerton – copyright SussexRoyal NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. NOT FOR USE AFTER FRIDAY JUNE 7, 2019, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. This photograph is provided to you strictly on condition that these conditions and restrictions will apply (and that you will pass these on) to any organisation to whom you supply it. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photographs (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-news editorial use. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. All other requests for use should be directed to the Buckingham Palace Press Office in writing. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son, born Monday and named as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle.
Well done Harry. I knew you’d pull through. Well done for stealthily ensuring their pettiness didn’t mar your gesture and commemoration. Your grandfather would have been so proud of you. 🫡
As for the commentators – is that Roya? – they’re pissed: “strange”, “significant” and the zinger…” no explanation.”
The time is near. The Lazies better prepare for the maelstrom that will soon engulf them. It’s coming. 🍿
@Blogger the lack of explanation added to the insult. They didn’t even try and justify the non attendance. Just like, it’s their two months Summer holidays, they are chilling out. No one during 1939 to 1945 had the option of opting out for five months every year to prioritise their family lives? They were being bombed, invaded, occupied, rounded up and put in camps, killed. People, countries were fighting for their lives and yet PoWs can’t even take a day out of an extended holiday to commemorate their dedication to freedom?
If the military brass had any say, they’d remove their chocolate titles and remove their patronage such as that cosplay Irish regiment Lazy does every year.
This couple embodies all that was wrong with the leadership in WW1. Such a total lack of respect and basic civility.
Karma will be so sweet for them because it will come. Hope the ghosts of WW2 veterans haunt them especially those who lost their lives at the death camps and death railway.
@Blogger, but Lazy doesn’t even bother to do her Irish regiment cosplay every year, does she? Didn’t she say one year, as she was leaving, that they shouldn’t expect her attendance to become a regular thing?
It’s interesting that the commentator pointed out that C&C were also in the middle of their summer holiday, but managed to show up. Also interesting that he said the RF is spread thin – it wouldn’t be spread so thin if W&K stepped up. It’s almost as if W&K aren’t considered part of the RF anymore.
That parts interesting. I kind of disagree with him though bc it’s not so much that it’s spread thin imo. Thin or not, the heir should have shown up. Even if Harry had been part of the family still and was sent in William’s place bc William wanted to stay on vacation, well that still would have been a problem really. The heir should still have shown up whether others in the family further down the line attend or not. It’s trying to blame Harry for the thinness of the RF but it’s not on Harry. It’s on the heir to show up. It wasn’t like William has been working back to back days and so Harry came in for some relief. That is not what’s happening.
@jais – ITA. It seems that William doesn’t understand or won’t acknowledge that he represents the people of the UK. And this thing about focusing on his family is another kind of blindness, not that he should be a dogsh*t father like Charles, but that, as king, the whole of the UK will be his family. This is the obligation into which he was born. This is why he has all that inherited wealth, special favors, special treatment, special power – not because he invented anything, but because he owes something.
Yes, that’s the thing, This wasn’t some random ribbon cutting event. It was William’s duty to be there, regardless of the number of working members of the RF. Blaming it on the “thinness” of the RF is misunderstanding the dynamics.
Well done Harry!
Watch lazy willie and katie keen feel stupid and inadequate and have someone handwrite their next letters and sign W and K’s everywhere and kate will even include a leaf from her favorite tree on forest lodge’s forest
Will is authentically lazy and without any sense of appreciation for the sacrifices made by an entire generation during WW2. Without the Allied Victory there would be no royal family and Will would not be enjoying his current life of ease and luxury.
Harry’s letter is so moving and personal and still so poignant. This letter says more than any official statement from the left behind Windsors will ever do.
The Wales’ tweet could have been moving and personal, but they just don’t care.
William only cares when Harry is involved, if he had any idea about the letter he would have been front and center on VJ Day.
I agree wholeheartedly. The letter was well-written and thoughtful. It puts W&K’s tweet to shame.
It is notable that, this time Charles has not banned Harry to put a wreath in remembrance. To return the favor, Harry’s letter is revealed only today in order not to overshadow Charles’ attendance. Looks like the peace summit is working in Harry’s favor as we know honoring the veterans are very important to him.
Interesting. So you think this was planned with some coordination with Charles? I had figured Harry just did it on his own without consulting the palace. But hmmm, yeah I can see it, especially since it was not revealed until now. If that’s the case, the peace summit is also working in the favor of Charles though as he’s able to poke the bear that is William.
I think Charles set up the meeting to negotiate some cooperation, at least in the UK, in exchange for something Harry wants like security when he visits
Oh, that’s a good catch. Harry’s friend placed a note AND a wreath. And Charles didn’t stop it like he did for Remembrance Day in November 2022, which was a month after the late Queen’s death. And yes, you’re right, it looks like there was even some sort of agreement between Charles and Harry because Harry respectfully placed his note and wreath after Charles and Camilla had left, and didn’t announce it until now.
Before you pointed that out, I had visions of BP and KP staff furiously searching security cam footage to figure out which of Harry’s friends did this horrific deed, punishment tbd.
I was thinking this as well. Maybe this is what the meeting was about? Harry had such a hard time before laying a wreath and it doesn’t seem there was a problem this time.
And the friend doesn’t get named either, or else they would be harassed. So yes I do think Charles or his staff knew of this and were fine that it was done after the event.
But William looks very bad for skipping all VJ events. There is no excuse.
I wonder if the Palace even knew about this, given they did everything in their power to stop Harry from laying a wreath in 2020.
I don’t think the royals, including Charles, knew about Prince Harry’s wreath. Ever since they twice went out of their way to prevent his wreaths from being laid at a military memorial, friends of Prince Harry’s have placed wreaths on his behalf at various places during important events.
There was a previous poster here on CB (who has since passed away), I believe that she had some links with the military, who wrote that despite the royals’ actions and attempts to thwart Prince Harry’s plans, a wreath has always been laid on his behalf by well-meaning members of the military ever since he left. It’s just that this time, someone either leaked it or reporters, realising that this had been going on each year and was a definite possibility this year (or a newbie who just read Spare) did some actual legwork for a change and found out about this.
Of course Charles knew and he also facilitated Harry’s letter.
As quiet as it is kept, the Royal British Legion who spnsored this event at the arboretum is the official sponsor of the UK Invictus Team. (https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support/how-we-help/social-support/invictus-games), which means Charles has been the official royal patron of the UK Invictus team since The Hague. See post below (https://www.celebitchy.com/936503/prince_harry_had_a_personal_note_placed_at_the_arboretum_for_vj_day/#comment-18203742)
Charles and Harry are moving towards a united front for the Manchester Invictus games.
Perhaps this is why William boycotted to commemorations. Not only did Charles allowed the letter but then he leaked the info to the press.
If you understand the positioning of RBL then you know that it all was orchestrated! Not in a bad way, but preplanned nonetheless.
Harry is a good human and he will always do the right thing. Yes your right the fury will begin to cover for the oh so lazy Wales who could only manage a tweet!
I’ve seen headlines from the Bm calling this a “secret tribute.” I mean the wreath and letter are clear for all to see. It’s only being called secret bc they didn’t know about it before the fact. And good for him. Arguably, it took more effort than a tweet.
Does anybody know whether William sent a wreath, as Harry did?
I’m thinking it would have been publicized if he had?
I remember when William laid a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day and just put his own name on it and not Kate’s. The press tried to keep it quiet but someone took a photo of the card.
Meghan is in her era of joy; Harry is in his era of ‘I am who I am’. He let the king have his shine, but is not hiding anymore. This is great!
Good On ya Prince Harry moving stealth like in your own personal war. I want to know who let the cat out of the Bag because now every year they will be waiting to see if someone places something for Harry. Why they cant let him have these things is beyond belief
Good on Harry. I knew he wouldn’t let it pass without doing something. Not only because of his obvious dedication to veterans, but the personal experience with his grandfather. It does highlight the laziness and shamefulness of the Wales’, so these people have no reason to be in a tizzy now. He gave them the entire weekend to say or do something differently, and they chose to spend the weekend talking about how they were moving into their sixth house. If they are upset that it will reflect poorly on them, that’s because it does.
Veterans respect fellow Veterans. Proud of Prince Harry.
Aye, it’s the difference between those who wear chocolate medals and those who earned those medals through combat.
William has made himself look like a right to**pot over the last few days and none more so than his no-show for the VJ services. Someone should remind him in no uncertain terms that he’s the HEIR and not the SPARE, because at the moment Harry is showing him up without even trying.
Harry is so sweet and sincere. 🌟
I didn’t know Phillip served in WWII, let alone the Pacific theater. William needs to get dragged for disrespecting their grandfather’s service, along with the other veterans.
I don’t think that even crossed William’s mind when he wrote that tweet 😏 but the next opportunity he gets to praise Prince Phillip he will😳
Philip served in both theaters – he was with the British Pacific Fleet for the 2 years before the surrender by Japan.
Prince Philip was on a ship in Tokyo Bay the day the Japanese surrender was signed.
Harry is a real one.
Willy is not. It’s just that simple.
I was touched reading Harry’s note. It was very moving because it was genuine and not pro forma.
And written by him, not an aide.
So was I. It was extremely well-written and thoughtful. It puts the Wales’s *tweet* to shame.
Good for Harry. This was very thoughtful.
My Uncle Kenneth fought in the Pacific and I would have LOVED to go to some kind of memorial for VJ day.
What a beautiful gesture by Harry. I wondered if he would mark the day, especially since he visited Pearl Harbor a few years ago and Philip was in the Pacific. The royalists are mad because William, who is right there, did the bare minimum. It’s obvious Harry put much thought and planning into this.
I love that he did this. He is genuine and thoughtful, and duty is part of his character. He makes his sulky, arrogant big brother look weak and lazy – because that’s the truth of the matter. GKH every time.
Harry outclassed them ~ again. Quietly, respectfully and intentionally.
How thoughtful of Prince Harry. Being opposite of a self-centered, hateful, arrogant and disrespectful POS.
**King Charles and Queen Camilla to Lead Remembrance Service**
“King Charles and Queen Camilla will lead a Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire today, hosted by Royal British Legion.” – Chris Ship
**About the Royal British Legion**
The Royal British Legion is a body incorporated by Royal Charter rather than under the Companies Act. The Charter sets out RBL’s objectives and powers, and details how the organisation is to be structured, organised, managed and run. The first Charter was granted to the British Legion, as it was known then, in 1925 by King George V.
**RBL’s Buried Invictus Connection**
The Royal British Legion is also the official sponsor of the UK Invictus team—but you wouldn’t know it from their website. Finding this information requires searching for “Invictus” to locate where it’s hidden on the site (https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support/how-we-help/social-support/invictus-games).
The sponsorship is buried under: Get support → How we help → Social Support → The Invictus Games.
This arrangement has a revealing history. Hope for Heroes originally hosted the UK team until the Sussexes stepped back before The Hague games, when sponsorship suddenly transferred to RBL—a royal patronage under Charles.
**Contrasting Royal Support**
The difference in royal engagement is telling. The Queen supported Invictus more actively even when she wasn’t its royal patron. (Remember Harry and the Queen’s “Mike Drop” moment… “oh really”… BOOM!!!)
Charles has been the UK team’s royal patron since The Hague but has not acknowledged the UK Team in its competitions in The Hague, Düsseldorf or Vancouver, nor has he acknowledged the 10th anniversary.
**The Manchester Irony**
This makes the calls for Harry to invite Charles to Manchester particularly surprising—as though Harry has snubbed the UK royal patron, rather than the patron having snubbed the last three Invictus Games and its 10th anniversary.
Charles not only letting Harry place the letter but then obviously leaking it to the press suggests closer movements toward showing unity for the Manchester Invictus Games.
Perhaps this is why William boycotted the commemorations.