Expert Explains How King Charles Gave Prince Harry An Unexpected Honor At The Queen's Funeral
Prince Harry wasn't afforded many honors throughout the week leading up to his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. We saw the Duke of Sussex stripped of his privilege to wear a military uniform during the procession to Westminster Hall, while the only other royal who received similar treatment was the disgraced Prince Andrew. While Harry was permitted to don the uniform while standing vigil at the Queen's coffin with his cousins, he sported morning dress to the funeral itself.
Of course, royal fans will recall how the duke and Meghan Markle, who stepped away from being working members of the royal family back in March of 2020, were also somewhat on the fringes of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration in June of this year, with the couple being notably absent from the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour ceremony (via People).
But according to a royal expert, the Duke of Sussex was afforded a huge honor at his grandmother's widely-watched funeral on Monday — one that he may not have been expecting.
King Charles did not take sides between his sons for the somber occasion
Eagle-eyed royal fans may have noticed that Prince Harry was seated right behind his father, England's new monarch, for the funeral service.
"That's the etiquette. If you know what the etiquette is, it actually is a place of honor," royal expert Gareth Russell told Us Weekly. As he explained, "To be the one behind the king is actually a sign of favor."
But what King Charles III pulled off by arranging the seating this way is to not show preference to either of his sons, the Duke of Sussex or the new Prince of Wales.
As viewers recall, Prince William and his family were seated across the aisle from Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, in the front row of Westminster Abbey (via E! News). Of course that the heir to the throne, the Princess of Wales, and their two kids, Prince George of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales, were given front-row seats would have been expected.