Prince Harry has published a deeply personal essay ahead of Remembrance Day, calling on the public to support living veterans who "carry the weight of war." Writing from the United States where he now lives, the Duke of Sussex emphasized that remembrance must extend beyond a single weekend to become a lifelong commitment to those who served.
In his 647-word piece titled "The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British," Harry wrote: «Every November the world, for a moment, grows quieter. We pause, together, to remember.» He stressed that Remembrance Day is not about glorifying war but rather «recognising its cost: the lives changed forever and the lessons paid for, through unimaginable sacrifice.»
The former soldier, who undertook two frontline tours to Afghanistan during his decade in the British Army, urged people to actively engage with veterans. «If you live near them, knock on their door. If you see them around, shake their hand,» Harry wrote. He encouraged the public to join veterans «for a cuppa…or a pint, to hear their story and remind them their service still matters.»
Connection to Britain
Despite living in the United States since stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020, Harry declared his enduring bond to Britain. «Though currently, I may live in the United States, Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for,» he wrote in the essay. He praised the "banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub" as quintessentially British traits he cherishes.
Harry's words come as he prepares for a two-day visit to Toronto beginning Wednesday to support Canadian veterans and armed forces members. In 2020, Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his military patronages after his departure from royal duties. That same year, a request to lay a poppy wreath at the Cenotaph on his behalf was refused.
The essay calls for remembering «not only the fallen, but the living - those who still carry the weight of war in body and mind, and the families who bear its memory in their hearts.» Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 for wounded service personnel, with Birmingham bidding to host the competition in 2027.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
