A feud between brothers, and some strict royal rules. Prince Harry may have won his fight to wear
a military uniform, but there's still some big differences between his look and Prince William's.
Ever since Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, the relationships between the members of her
family have come under scrutiny. Notably, King Charles III's sons, Princes William and Harry,
have been in the spotlight once again due to their long-rumored feud. Meanwhile,
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle's decision to leave their roles as senior
members of the royal family continues to send ripples through the monarchy.
The continued tension between the new king and his youngest son remained apparent after the
queen's death. As CBS News reported, the king had given guidance that only working members of the
royal family could attend events in their military uniforms. That effectively meant that in spite of
Prince Harry's extensive military service, he was forced to wear a suit to official events,
while his brother was dressed in uniform. Harry did wear his military medals pinned to his suit,
but his pedestrian outfit signaled his lowered status within the royal family.
The king has since requested that both of his sons wear their military uniforms at the
queen's funeral, and on September 17, William and Harry were both seen in uniform at a vigil
for the late monarch. However, the two princes will have slight variations in their dress,
considering the different directions their military careers took.
Prince William enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an officer cadet
back in 2005, and after training, left with his officer's commission.
He then went on to serve in the Household Cavalry, Blues and Royals, and actually commanded other
troops. He also served as a search-and-rescue pilot, and at one point saw duty in the Falkland
Islands. After his military career, he worked for quite some time as an air ambulance pilot.
During the procession of Queen Elizabeth's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall,
William wore his military uniform. William's outfit consisted of military finery,
and included various medals, such as his Garter Star,
which is described as the most senior knighthood in the British honors system,
and various medals awarded to him by his grandmother, the queen, during her reign.
Much like his older brother, Prince Harry served in the military after attending the same
military school at Sandhurst, and joining the same regiment, Blues and Royals. He was in the military
for ten years, and even saw combat in Afghanistan. Throughout his service, he racked up quite a few
medals, which he was seen wearing at the queen's funeral procession. In fact, Harry had more medals
pinned to his suit than his brother had pinned to his military uniform. For instance, Prince Harry
could be seen wearing a medal for his service in Afghanistan, where William did not serve.
"There is a bit of jealousy, not just the fact I get to fly this. But obviously he'd
love to be out here, and to be honest with you, I don't see why he couldn't."
Prince Harry has mainly been wearing civilian clothes for most public-facing events related
to Queen Elizabeth's death. As a result, it remains uncertain
exactly what he will wear when he dons his military finery for the queen's funeral,
although his outfit at a vigil on September 17 is a good indication. And in terms of a precedent,
it's worth referring to what the prince wore at his wedding to Meghan Markle in May 2018.
At the time, Harry's uniform was that of a Major, and included his flying wings and,
like his brother, various medals awarded by his grandmother, the late queen.
The first and most obvious reason for this fondness for wearing uniforms at official events
is that many royals serve in the military throughout their careers.
For instance, King Charles himself served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force for six years.
Meanwhile, Prince Andrew spent 22 years in the Royal Navy,
which saw him serving as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War.
Aside from actual military service, royals also accumulate various honorary military
titles and commands. For example, Princess Anne has never served in the military,
but she is allowed to wear parts of a military uniform because she's accrued
a few honorary titles over the years. Members of the royal family who have
actually served can accumulate honorary titles and commands, too. For instance,
King Charles was at one time the honorary colonel in chief of over a dozen military regiments.