Prince Prince Harry’s recent decision to skip Prince Philip's memorial service has been branded “insensitive” by some as it’s deemed a “slap in the face” to the Queen after all she’s been through.
- The Duke of Sussex is set to travel to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games weeks after Prince Philip’s memorial.
- Prince Harry has confirmed he won’t be attending the service in a move described as a “slap in the face” to his grandmother.
- This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as Kate Middleton shared a sweet baby moment with Prince William after revealing she’s ‘broody’ (opens in new tab).
Prince Harry is facing criticism from some after it was announced he’ll fly to The Hague in the Netherlands for the Invictus Games 2022, but won’t be attending Prince Philip’s memorial weeks before. As the Queen and Philip’s grandson and sixth in the royal line of succession (opens in new tab), Harry was expected to make it over for the memorial service on March 29th.
This is due to be attended by members of The Firm (opens in new tab), but neither the Duke or Duchess of Sussex will be there. Reports have claimed the Queen is in “shock” (opens in new tab) over this choice. Now some have suggested that Prince Harry’s decision to fly over from the US weeks after but not to attend the service is “a slap in the face” for the Queen.
As reported by the Daily Mail (opens in new tab), the publication’s Royal Editor Rebecca English has opened up on their new talk show, Palace Confidential, about Harry’s decision not to return to the UK for his grandfather’s memorial service.
“Within a couple of minutes of announcing that he would not be attending the Duke of Edinburgh’s service of thanksgiving, Harry’s team also announced that he would be attending the Invictus Games in the Hague in April, just a few weeks later,” the expert declared.
Rebecca went on to claim, “This has obviously surprised a lot of people… to travel to Europe to go to that, but not to his grandfather’s memorial service has, to use a well-worn phrase, got people’s goat. They feel it is a slap in the face to the Queen and, again, another PR disaster as far as many people in the UK are concerned.”
And she wasn’t the only one to delve into reactions to Harry’s decision not to join his grandmother at this poignant memorial, with the Mail on Sunday’s Editor at Large, Charlotte Griffiths describing his move as “insensitive”.
“There is that feeling that this could be one of the last chances he gets to see some of the older members of the family,’ she suggested. ‘It just feels so insensitive and so vitriolic and so pointless.”
Harry’s Europe trip comes months after he expressed his belief that it’s too dangerous to return to the UK (opens in new tab) without sufficient police protection.
Since Harry and Meghan “stepped back” (opens in new tab), they lost their taxpayer-funded police protection. Recently, the Duke revealed his bid to challenge a Home Office ruling against him funding his own police protection in the country. Prior to this announcement he was expected to return not just for Philip’s memorial, but for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (opens in new tab) holiday.
Now it’s uncertain whether the Sussexes will fly back for the celebrations and get to reunite with the Queen. Though in light of his recent decision not to attend the memorial, many fans will no doubt be hoping Harry will get to see Her Majesty in the not-too-distant future.