Prince Harry’s recent move suggests he is sending an emotional message to his father King Charles that he desperately wants his military titles back.
The Duke of Sussex has always spoken proudly of his military service and continues to support injured and retired servicemen in his capacity as the founder of the Invictus Games.
More recently, he has opened up about leaving the Army, telling NATO’s military committee: “When I hung up my uniform, I felt as though I had lost not simply a profession, but part of my purpose and identity.”
His emotional admission of his enduring love for the Armed Forces suggests he is making a heartfelt appeal to the British monarch to restore his patronages.
Harry served for ten years and went on to found the Invictus Games, a powerful legacy of his service. Yet the Duke lost his honorary military titles in 2021 after stepping back as a working royal.
Now, with the Invictus Games coming to Birmingham next year, experts and fans have triggered a fresh debate over the royal family’s participation in the Games, with many questioning whether the Monarch should restore his titles.
In 2020, royal biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand opened up about Meghan and Harry’s reaction to the duke losing his honourary military titles.
They wrote: “Harry’s lifelong commitment to the military was why the Mountbatten Festival of Music three days later was a particularly difficult moment; he was set to wear his Captain-General of the Royal Marines uniform for the very last time.
“During a conversation backstage, on arrival, Harry told Major General Matthew Holmes: ‘I’m devastated that I am having to step down.’
“‘It was so unnecessary”, Meghan later told a friend of the decision to strip Harry of his military honours.
“‘And it’s not just taking something away from him; it’s also that entire military veteran community. You can see how much he means to them, too. So why? The powers [of the institution] are unfortunately greater than me.
“Though the evening served as a poignant tribute to Britain’s Armed Forces, it also became a moment to thank the much-loved prince for his contributions to the military community.”
Royal author Gareth Russell spoke exclusively to GB News regarding Harry’s feelings after missing out on the title of colonel-in-chief of his old regiment.
He said: “The Duke of Sussex’s wife has obviously indicated in private conversations on the record that the military does matter to him, and that losing the military posts was something that he felt very keenly.
“That being said, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could have thought that the command of the regiment would go to anyone but the current Prince of Wales.
“So he may be upset but I don’t think surprised.”
2026-10-02 17:11:00
