Removing E:R from Harry’s Uniform

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I am certainly not one of H&M’s fans but I think that for someone to actually remove the ER initials from his military uniform for the vigil was beyond petty.

The decision was made to allow him to wear a military uniform, fine, Andrew was also given permission but to take the time and trouble to remove the Queen’s initials from the epaulettes was, I think, really childish. I know he has chosen to not be a working Royal but the initals were left on Andrew’s epaulettes so why were Harry’s removed?

Apart from anything else, this will just add grist to the mill of H&M’s litany of complaints but for once, I think they’d be justified in being upset by this.

Expect I’ll be flamed for this and there are many more important things going on in the world but I do think this was a snotty thing to do to Harry.

If no one had mentioned it to the press then no one would have noticed.

Indeed. Who leaked this? What was their motive? Literally no-one would ever have noticed.

Apparently, the 'ER' is worn by those who are Aide de Camp to HMQ. Harry has lived in the States for what? 2 years? More? He hasn't been her ADC or anything like it for ages. PA was continually at her side, however that may grate.

If that’s the case it does seem a bit petty but who on earth noticed and went to the bother of informing the media ?

I don't like PH and think he's a spoilt man-child but i find this incredibly petty and spiteful. It also gives him and his equally awful wife more whinge fodder to sell when they go back to the states!

I certainly didn’t notice it and read the story inThe Times but I did notice it on King Charles’ uniform when he and his siblings did their vigil. I had never really thought about their military uniforms in detail before but was a bit surprised that it hadn’t been changed to C:R as, presumably, the Armed Forces are under KC’s watch now.

Hopefully, someone can explain if this will happen and if so, when.

I imagine that a valet somewhere tasked with looking after the garment just followed the rule book. I can't imagine Harry's many uniforms have been in California with him.

Exactly. Presumably someone who used to work in the military or noticed and fed the story to someone at The Times.

The military are insanely picky about this stuff. It doesn't mean it was a Palace snub. The story is just a way to fill space.

Agree with this. I also wonder who told the press.

Was going to post similar!

This is very plausible though. I just hope H&M don’t take it personally and use it as an opportunity for more umbrage to cash in on.

Oh FFS. Does he never stop complaining? The sense of entitlement is incredible.

It’s neither petty nor spiteful, it was because they related to a role that he no longer has.

Harry was only entitled to the ER badges on his epaulettes because he was appointed a personal Aide de Camp to his grandmother. He was appointed to this position in October 2018 (so, if you see pictures of him in his uniform at the wedding, below, he didn’t have them then either).

After Harry left the Royal Family and ceased to hold his honorary positions, he also ceased to hold his role as ADC. His father granted him dispensation to wear his uniform for the vigil, but obviously he wasn’t reappointed to the ADC role (his grandmother being dead, she obviously couldn’t reappoint him…), so he didn’t have the badges on his epaulettes.

Harry really needs to grow up. Fully support their move to the states and decision to step down but he clearly is spoiled and overly entitled, with very little understanding of how things actually work and a determination to take everything as a personal Insult. We saw this most clearly during that interview when an adult of great, independent wealth moaned that he was poor because his father had cut him off and he now had to start earning his own money.

I saw this post so read the press about the insignia and it's one of those protocol rules that is nothing personal to him...If he really is that devastated (which honestly sounds like pretty drivel) then someone needs to explain to him what it's about.

Honestly, I've no doubt people in the royal family are racist and applaud him for stepping down but the constant reports in the press of how terribly hard done by he is do him no favours and are quite frankly tiring to read and wildly out of touch.

Also, on the Andrew v Harry differences: Andrew retired from the forces whereas Harry resigned. Under Army rules this does make a difference, it means Andrew is actually allowed to wear a uniform in certain circumstances whereas Harry is not. So Harry wearing a uniform at all was a genuine bending of the rules for him.

And Andrew remained an Honorary ADC to his mother at her choice - this is was reported on earlier this year, around the time of her Jubilee.

(I still think neither of them should have worn uniforms personally, but obviously no one thought to consult me. 😄 Once that decision had been made though, army rules are army rules. I note Harry should have shaved his beard off though, to comply with army uniform rules, but obviously did not. I assume his father also gave him a special dispensation for that, as he had a special dispensation from the Queen for his wedding. So he has had plenty of special treatment here).

Exactly. It's neither of those things, but of course, people will make it out to be instead of actually looking into the reasoning behind it.

Yes, I think it (a) looks petty, and (b) was a stupid tactical move given that I thought a truce was desired?

I can't read the Sunday Times story as it's behind a paywall but read this one:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11224081/Prince-Harry-heartbroken-Queens-ER-initials-stripped-shoulder-military-uniform.html

and I can have a good guess who leaked the story, if we're at the level of detail of, 'Harry even considered wearing a morning suit ...'

Given there was presumably (yet another) argument about it, I think it was daft of the Palace to insist on this.

Thank you for this explanation and I do see that it is a matter of protocol.

Why, though, was Andrew allowed to keep his? Not trying to be goady, genuine question.

Was he also heartbroken when they weren't on his epaulettes at the wedding?

I thought it was a bit petty at face value but having read PP about to be ADC rule I can see exactly why he wasn’t wearing them and it was the right call and his camp telling the papers he’s “heartbroken” and “ devastated” is ridiculous. They must know the ADC rule and are just stoking the hostility again to curry favour for him and MM. I wish they’d stop bleating.

All the useless petty protocols cause this.

No one, certainly not I would notice or care.

It doesn't look good to do this even if it is the correct protocol. Ot just adds weight to their 'hard done by' feeling!
And actually feelings are more important than protocol sometimes. This comes across as needlessly mean, even if it wasn't the intention. I'd imagine it's hard being H&M this week, even though a lot of their ills are self inflicted.
The RF need to call a halt to all the damaging publicity the H&M thing is causing - they have a choice, alienate him further with petty shot like this, or try to get him back in the fold. I suspect they'll do the former though!

Christ, if he’s so devastated maybe he should look at the poor choices he’s made. These are consequences of his own actions.

Oh who knows, why on earth look for snubs and negativity, why not just try to move forward. It must be exhausting.

I still think neither of them should have worn uniforms personally, but obviously no one thought to consult me. 😄

That made me laugh, @Serenster - and they may as well put you in charge because you'd do a better job of looking after Harry than whoever's doing it. It's just one petty drama after another (whipped up by the press, a lot of the time).

I still hold of hopes of Harry spilling the beans on Uncle Andrew in some way.