Duke of Sussex can wear medals – but not on a military uniform

THE Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral will be the first occasion that marks Prince Harry’s change of status within the Royal family.

The Queen stripped the Duke and Duchess of Sussex of all official royal titles earlier this year after they confirmed they would not return to their roles as working royals.

As a ceremonial event, it is believed that the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and the Earl of Wessex will attend the funeral in military uniform.

But as the Duke was stripped of his honorary military titles it is thought he will have to wear a suit, despite having served as an Army officer.

Protocol dictates that retired service personnel can wear their medals, but not their uniform, at official engagements once they have left the military.

Similarly, the Duke of York, who served for 22 years with the Royal Navy and who was forced to step back from public life “for the foreseeable future” in 2019 over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, will also be prevented from wearing military uniform.

Prince Harry’s highest profile military title was Captain General of the Royal Marines, a role he was handed by the Queen in December 2017, succeeding the Duke of Edinburgh.

He was also Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington and honorary Commodorein-chief of the Royal Navy’s Small Ships and Diving Operations. The Duke can still wear his medals, including an Operational Service medal for Afghanistan.

The Queen will also have to decide whether to use Prince Harry’s HRH title in the order of service. The Sussexes agreed when they stepped back from their roles that they would no longer use the titles, but they did retain them.