On August 15, Prince Harry honored the memory of his grandfather, Prince Philip, on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in the Pacific during World War II. The Duke of Sussex asked a friend to lay a wreath at the foot of the National Memorial Arboretum once the official ceremony was over and King Charles III and Queen Camilla had left, so as not to disrupt the course of the day. The royal couple had been present at the commemorations, and were seen to be very moved when a veteran stepped away from his speech to say a few comforting words to the sovereign, who was suffering from cancer.
The wreath was accompanied by a typed letter, topped by Prince Harry’s seal. In it, he saluted the “courage” and “resilience” of the “’Forgotten Army,” dedicating an entire paragraph to his grandfather, who died at the age of 99 in 2021.
“For me, this anniversary carries an added layer of meaning. My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Pacific campaign,” he wrote in his letter, as shared by GB News. “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.”
Queen Elizabeth II’s husband joined the Royal Navy in 1939. After missions in the Mediterranean, he went to the Pacific. Second in command, he was on board a destroyer on a mission in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945.
“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,” confided the former soldier. He concluded: “I am humbled by your example, proud of your service and dedication, and profoundly grateful for what you endured. Your story is part of our shared heritage, and it must never be forgotten.” The note was signed “Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.”
The 40-year-old Briton served ten years in the armed forces, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Inspired by his military background, in 2014 he created the Invictus Games, a sporting event for veterans and those wounded in war. His honorary military patronages were withdrawn and returned to his grandmother the Queen in in February 2021, one year after he and wife Meghan Markle relinquished their royal duties.
Prince Harry had already spoken of his admiration for his grandfather, “a seriously sharp wit,” who “could hold the attention of any room due to his charm,” as he wrote in a statement shared on the Archewell website after the announcement of his death. He was a “consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke,” and above all a beloved grandfather, “master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ‘til the end,” he recalled.
Original story from Vanity Fair France.
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