Prince Harry Declines Coronation Medal from King at Award Ceremony

From an external point of view, Prince Harry’s decision to wear the medals bestowed upon him by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, rather than the one from his father, King Charles III, indeed raises eyebrows. This choice appears even more contentious given the timeline of events surrounding Harry’s split from the British royal family. Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020. Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022, and her death seemed to have heightened the already tense situation. Following her demise, Harry released his memoir, “Spare,” which further exacerbated the rift within the family. The couple was subsequently evicted from Frogmore Cottage, and Meghan opted to miss Charles’ coronation. In this context, Harry’s decision to omit his father’s medal from his attire while prominently featuring those from his grandmother seems to unmistakably signal where his loyalties lie.

Harry’s selection of the Afghanistan campaign medal also sparked debate. The Duke of Sussex devoted ten years to the UK military, serving two tours in Afghanistan and achieving the rank of captain and Apache Aircraft commander by the time he retired in 2015. However, after stepping away from royal duties and relocating to the United States, Harry’s titles and honors have been somewhat ambiguous. His decision to cease being a working royal required him to forfeit his royal responsibilities, security, and military titles. Consequently, some fans were surprised when, while presenting the “Soldier of the Year” award, Harry chose to wear a military medal.

Source: The List