Why is Harry a saluting if he is an ordinary citizen?

[IAmtheVampiresWife]

I know there are some military experts on here. Why would he be saluting these sailors? Is it because he was once in the Army? He's not in military uniform. What's the deal here?

No idea about saluting etiquette but where is this,

https://sussex.com/pearl-harbor-day/

Thanks for the link. He really is behaving like he's an American royal. When he left the rf, I actually believed he wanted to live an ordinary, low profile life. How stupid I was!

I think Royals keep their ranks - he has multiple military ranks

Perhaps because he still holds onto the title Lieutenant commander ( Royal Navy )?

Former military titles and patronagesAfter the decision taken by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to stand down as senior members of the Royal Family, Prince Harry returned Royal patronages and honorary military appointments to the Queen.
In February 2021, it was confirmed Prince Harry had returned the following military appointments to the Queen:

• Captain General Royal Marines
• Honorary Air Commandant, RAF Honington
• Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command

Prince Harry received promotions in all three services, in June 2018, becoming a major in the British Army, a lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy, and a squadron leader in the Royal Air Force. However, Harry has now lost the honorary Navy and RAF ranks. The Duke of Sussex was appointed Captain General Royal Marines in December 2017, succeeding his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, in the role. That role was also one of the three military appointments he returned to the Queen.

On 18 January 2020, Buckingham Palace announced that an agreement had been reached for Harry "to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments".[113] In February 2021, the Palace confirmed that the Duke would give up his position as Captain General Royal Marines and hand back all the other honorary military appointments.[114]

In the US veterans are permitted and in some cases expected to salute or return a salute whether in or out of uniform. As Harry is a veteran and this is in the US then there is no problem with it.

What is a bit odd is that Harry is using the navy salute here rather than the army one and to my knowledge never served in the navy.

Oh, I stand corrected, he did hold rank in the navy so its perfectly proper that he use a naval salute in this context.

He's adopted US usage

British military personnel do not salute when bare-headed (you'd brace up instead)

That is not a Navy salute! Navy has the palms turned inward toward the head so as not to show disrespect with hands dirtied by tarry ropes (as you can see the sailors there doing). That looks like the same John Waynesque kind of salute that US Presidents give when boarding Marine One...

Like this @WeegieWan ?

What @mpsw said. Was just coming on to say the same. Uk military never salute in civvies so must be an American thing

@IAmtheVampiresWife exactly like that! 👍

It just seems a bit odd also with an open neck shirt.

Yeah, but he must have been briefed to return their salute - whatever else, Harry does know military etiquette. Look at the late Queen's funeral - he wasn't in uniform so correctly did not salute the Cenotaph when they passed it, instead he braced up and looked at it, which is what you are supposed to do in that situation.

I don't think he would have done this off his own bat, he's been told/asked to return their salute.

*He's adopted US usage

British military personnel do not salute when bare-headed (you'd brace up instead)*

^^ This and also what @Helplessandheartbroke said...

UK military personnel don't salute when bare-headed or when not in uniform...

PH has gone native.

It's not really an American thing:

"Salutes are not required when ...

• Either the senior or the subordinate is wearing civilian clothes."

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/getting-the-lowdown-on-customs-and-courtesies.html

As an American, it is VERY strange to see members of our military saluting a non-American, non-uniformed veteran. I've never seen it before.

(Father (retired JAG), two uncles, and grandfather are Army veterans; father-in-law was a Marine. I have been to a fair number of military-related events.)

As an American, it is VERY strange to see members of our military saluting a non-American, non-uniformed veteran. I've never seen it before.

Were they specifically saluting him, or was it a general salute for everyone walking along the red csrpet? Or maybe the salute was for someone else who is just out of shot?

The photo is showing him giving a salute in front of a line of army personnel.

I have to say, I’m wondering the (American) army personnel involved wouldn’t have been upset if he had NOT given them a military salute after giving him a red carpet treatment. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

I am also wondering why they are saluting him. A foreign veteran, not an uniform.

I had no idea there were different kinds of salutes! Every day is a school day.
Also, what does 'brace up' mean?

US Military family here also. This photo is messed up.

No, just no. We don’t salute out of uniform. We don’t salute without full uniform on. It’s all messed up.

Though it’s the navy and not US Army and they do some strange things. But no, not how we do things here.