Nicholl: It was probably hard for Prince Harry to miss the D-Day events in Normandy

July 12, 2024

Roya Nikkhah at the Times of London got a big briefing from Kensington Palace over the weekend, all about how King Charles is no longer jealous of Prince William’s massive popularity or William’s gold-plated international statesmanship. As I said, it came straight from William’s camp and it was almost funny to watch as William desperately tries to bill himself as this global diplomat and immensely popular figure. Within that Times piece, there was a curious mention of Prince Harry and how Harry… wasn’t in Normandy for the D-Day anniversary. It’s been mentioned in several articles too, like “why wasn’t Harry there/Harry must be jealous of William’s statesmanship!” That too is coming straight from Kensington Palace. No one expected Harry to go to Normandy, and there’s absolutely no reason to even mention Harry’s name in the discussions of D-Day. And yet…

Prince Harry is to blame for missing commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day because he’s the one who burnt bridges with his family, a royal expert claims.

Katie Nicholl told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show how it would’ve been a “hard” and “pretty stomach-clenching moment” for Harry to watch the two days of commemorations and know he wasn’t a part of it. Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson, the royal commentator explains that Harry’s fought in Afghanistan and is the only member of Royal Family to have fought on the front line twice, so on another parallel universe, he would’ve been there.

“Every time we cover the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, if there’s anyone that’s earned the right to be there and to lay a wreath, it’s Prince Harry because he fought for his Queen and his country in Afghanistan twice,” she says. “And I can only imagine, and we was talking about how happy is out in Montecito and I believe he is, he’ll be watching those D-Day commemorations. He was a soldier for a big part of his life as we know through the Invictus community and I think it’s a pretty stomach-clenching moment for him where it’s that realisation that despite what he did, he wasn’t a part of this because he’s not a part of the working class Royal Family.”

Matt goes on to note how the reality of Prince Harry being absent for the D-Day commemorations is simply the repercussions of him burning bridges with the royal family, to which Nicholls agrees.

“They are, they are,” she says. “Currently, we don’t know whether he did anything in Montecito, but if he did, he didn’t do anything publicly. And you’ll remember that one Remembrance Sunday when him and Meghan were photographed laying a wreath and that backfired on them so badly. So I think they’ve learned from things like that so it must’ve been a hard moment for him to watch these two days of commemorations in Normandy and in Britain and know that just like being a solider, he wasn’t a part of it.”

[From The Sun]

“You’ll remember that one Remembrance Sunday when him and Meghan were photographed laying a wreath and that backfired on them so badly.” In 2020, he requested that a wreath made for him by The Poppy Factory be picked up and placed at the Cenotaph in his absence. The palace refused, they leaked their refusal and tried to humiliate him publicly. Harry and Meghan spent Remembrance Day 2020 at the LA National Cemetery, laying flowers on the graves of Commonwealth soldiers. It didn’t “backfire” on the Sussexes, it made the point that Harry will always find a way to honor the fallen. What has backfired on the Windsors is their unhinged campaign against a veteran who served two tours of duty. What has backfired is the Windsors’ refusal to acknowledge Invictus veterans or Harry’s work with the veterans community. Instead, they keep trying to claim that William suddenly has a special relationship with the veteran community. William really wants to carve Harry’s face off to wear it as his own.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Prince Harry with the Mayor of Dusseldorf Dr Stephan Keller, arrives at Dusseldorf town hall to sign the official guest book of Dusseldorf ahead of the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games at the Merkur Spiel-Arena. Featuring: Prince Harry Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 09 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Duke of Sussex, watches the wheelchair rugby at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, during the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 10 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Duke of Sussex (centre) kisses Davey Martinez of Team US on the head as he presents medals during the wheelchair rugby finals at the Merkur Spiel-Arena during the Invictus Games. Featuring: Prince Harry, Davey Martinez Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 11 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

Closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. Featuring: President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 16 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

Guests arrive to attend a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Cover Images

Guests attend a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Cover Images

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attending a St Paul’s Cathedral service to mark the Invictus Games’ tenth anniversary Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 May 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**

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