Queen ‘personally intervened’ to ban Prince Harry from Remembrance service

It took the Queen ‘all of two seconds’ to make the decision, according to reports

The Queen personally stepped into to ban Prince Harry from taking part in the Remembrance Day service last November, it has been reported.

Her Majesty was joined by the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Princess Royal at the Cenotaph on 8 November, in honour of armed forces members who died in the line of duty.

The Duke of Sussex - who relocated to California in April - was absent from the ceremony, and reports at the time suggested that his request to have a wreath laid in his name was rejected.

Instead the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were photographed leaving flowers at the graves of two Commonwealth soldiers in the Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Officials said the Queen had no knowledge of the decision to reject Prince Harry’s involvement in the service, but it has now been alleged that Her Majesty personally turned down the Prince’s request.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex laying flowers in Los Angeles (archewell.global/instagram)

A source told The Daily Mail: “Remembrance Sunday is sacrosanct when it comes to Her Majesty’s diary. It’s one of the most important dates in her calendar and nothing is done without her knowledge.

“People were suggesting the Palace’s reaction to what Harry asked was petty. But it was the Queen’s decision. And what’s more, she actually had very strong views on the subject.”

According to the source, it took the Queen “all of two seconds” to make up her mind, while another added: “The Queen is very firmly of the opinion that you can't pick and choose what you do when it comes to the institution, either you are in — or you are out.”

Last March Prince Harry stepped down from his royal duties and now lives in California with the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and their son, Archie.

The Duchess of Sussex with her son, Archie, on his birthday (archewell.global/instagram)

Recently the couple shared black-and-white photographs of themselves as children on the newly relaunched website for their non-profit organisation, Archewell.

One of the images shows the duchess hugging her mother, Doria Ragland, and the other shows Prince Harry sitting on the shoulders of his late mother, Princess Diana.

The couple also published a letter to 2021 on the website, which reads: “I am my mother’s son. I am our son’s mother. Together we bring you Archewell.

“We believe in the best of humanity. Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness from our mothers and strangers alike."