Prince Harry reveals the personal reason why he wears a poppy
Last year, Prince Harry joined the rest of the royal family to mark Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in London.
However, this year the Duke of Sussex, 36, will be paying his respects from his home in Los Angeles.
The father-of-one – who previously served in the British Army – has revealed that he will be wearing a poppy for a special reason.
Speaking to the military podcast Declassified, in an episode that will air today, he explained: “I wear the poppy to recognise all those who have served; the soldiers I knew, as well as those I didn’t.
“The soldiers who were by my side in Afghanistan, those who had their lives changed forever, and those that didn’t come home.
“I wear it to celebrate the bravery and determination of all our veterans, and their loved ones, especially those in our Invictus family.
“These are the people and moments I remember when I salute, when I stand at attention and when I lay a wreath at the Cenotaph.”
He added: “The act of remembering, of remembrance, is a profound act of honour.
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“It’s how we preserve the legacies of entire generations and show our gratitude for the sacrifices they made in order for us to be able to live the lives we live today.”
The duke, who undertook two tours of Afghanistan, spent 10 years in the armed forces and rose to the rank of captain.
In 2014, he founded the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick Service personnel.
According to The Sunday Times, the duke – who relocated to the US earlier this year – was refused permission for a wreath to be laid at the Cenotaph on his behalf today.
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The newspaper reported that he made a personal request to Buckingham Palace, but it was denied because he no longer represents the monarchy.
The duke, who gave up his military posts when he stepped back as a senior royal in March, first laid a wreath at the Cenotaph at the age of 25 in 2009.
It comes after it was revealed that his wife, Meghan Markle, voted in the US election.
A source close to the Duchess of Sussex, 39, confirmed she was “voting in this election”.
She and the duke, who cannot vote in the US, made multiple public statements encouraging Americans to vote, which drew some criticism on both sides of the Atlantic.
Members of the British royal family are not explicitly banned from voting, but avoid doing so to ensure political neutrality.
