What’s in an attire? Prince Harry’s military uniform confusion at coronation

Prince Harry “has not been permitted to wear his military uniform” to his father King Charles’ coronation despite serving 10 years in the army, a report claimed.

The Duke of Sussex is set to attend the coronation alone without his wife Meghan Markle as she remains in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Prince Harry, who has served two tours of Afghanistan, will wear a morning suit for the ceremony, Telegraph reported. The decision is part of royal protocol according to which non-working members of the royal family cannot wear military uniforms to official state occasions.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 following which the couple relocated to the US. Owing to their decision, Prince Harry was stripped of his honorary military titles. Prince Harry was also not initially permitted to wear his military uniform during the funeral proceedings for his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II but later allowed to wear his uniform while standing vigil at the late monarch’s coffin.

Prince Harry made “no specific requests concerning his outfit for the coronation,” and was instead “willing to wear whatever was asked of him,” The Telegraph reported.

King Charles’ coronation will be attended by 2,000 guests compared to 8,000 guests present at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953. The ceremony will also be much shorter than the late Queen’s, which lasted more than three hours.

Prince William is expected to wear his military uniform to their father’s coronation.