RICHARD KAY: The King’s first test is to resolve this family crisis

For a second the squabbles over uniform appeared unworthy, the saga over insignia an irrelevance. In Westminster Abbey, which has borne witness to actually momentous chapters in Britain’s historical past, the self-importance of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry was diminished to mere petty element.

Within the days because the Queen’s demise, there was a way of hostilities suspended and grief shared. Equally, within the nice church the place monarchs are topped and mourned, there was a strong reminder that household unity is as vital as public affection in binding the monarchy to the nation.

Yesterday was not nearly bringing the curtain down on the Elizabethan period, it was additionally the day when the baton of royal symbolism was handed from a mom to a son.

King Charles has an in-tray bursting with difficult calls for, from shoring up a Commonwealth to holding collectively a fractious United Kingdom. However his first check, and one which can outline his reign, is to resolve a household disaster that induced his mom a lot heartache in her final years.

No surprise at instances yesterday his face appeared so bleak that not even the consoling presence of his beloved spouse the Queen Consort may ease his sorrowing. He is aware of that his position as head of state doesn’t confer upon him an computerized proper to be the preferred member of the Royal Household; he is aware of that affection needs to be earned. 

However he understands, too, that the artificial fame represented by California-based Prince Harry and Meghan, with their large social media following, is corrosive to the long-term well-being of the monarchy. It appears to be constructed on a misplaced sense of victimhood.

Charles’s hope is that, having been a lot a part of the spectacular occasions of the previous week and a half, his son lastly realises that the qualities of responsibility and repair celebrated within the nationwide outpouring of heartfelt affection for the Queen are the true measure of recognition.

It could be a forlorn hope.

Permitting it to be made recognized that having the Queen’s initials faraway from his Military uniform when he stood vigil on Saturday evening over his grandmother’s coffin has left him devastated, means that Harry has not learnt this lesson. It will appear he has nonetheless not grasped the implications of quitting royal life. 

His determination to desert it’s why, on the funeral and different key occasions, he was not permitted to put on the navy apparel which means a lot to him.

At each Windsor and within the Abbey, his face was rigidly fastened on some distant level, an image of focus. But if he wanted any reminder of the life he has surrendered and the half he may have in it, it was throughout.

He can not have didn’t have been moved by the pageantry, each solemn and poignant. Nor how every introduced the royal traditions of the previous into the current day and gave them resonance and that means.

Harry yesterday was not simply mourning the lack of a grandmother — she was additionally the determine to whom in his anguish he turned as his royal life unravelled. There isn’t a doubt that grandson and monarch had an in depth bond. The Queen’s workers have informed me how, within the early days of Harry’s exile in America, the Queen would excitedly take his cellphone calls. Over time this modified and she or he later turned perplexed by Harry’s complaints.

His route-one strategy infuriated different senior royals however he wasn’t the one one to undertake such a method. Prince Andrew positioned his salvation too in his mom’s arms. Stripped of his navy hyperlinks and patronages and compelled to step down from royal duties, he continued to stay near the Queen, together with escorting her in to the Abbey in March for the memorial service to Prince Philip.

There isn’t a doubt that there was some public sympathy for each Andrew and Harry, the one two shut members of the Queen’s household to have seen energetic service in wartime.

Each males had unquestionably demonstrated appreciable bravery, Harry on two events in Afghanistan and Andrew as a helicopter pilot within the Falklands Warfare.

However whereas their braveness has by no means been unsure, their judgment and customary sense have been.

From Charles, who has needed to handle the fallout, there was each anger and disappointment. Andrew’s determination to talk to the BBC over the Jeffrey Epstein affair, through which he didn’t acknowledge any fault or provide any apology, was considered by Charles as a monumental act of folly and self-harm.

Harry’s on-going behavior of giving interviews in addition to his deliberate memoir has been extra personally hurtful.

Charles had welcomed Meghan into the household — famously strolling her up the aisle on the royal marriage ceremony when her personal father was unable to attend.

However their complaints about racism inside the household, in addition to assaults on the integrity of members of the Royal Family, have wounded him.

When the Royal Household subsequent gathers on such a ceremonial scale as we have now witnessed over lately, will probably be for King Charles’s Coronation. The place then, and the way, will Harry and Meghan function? And might Andrew anticipate something apart from a task as a spectator?

For Harry the breathtaking occasions of the Queen’s obsequies can have left him in little doubt that until he’s ready to simply accept the olive department prolonged so generously by his father, he’s at risk of being written out of the royal story.

He should certainly be reflecting, too, on how his brother William has supplied reconciliation, standing or marching at his facet for all of the vital occasions, from the lying-in-state to the funeral. He may so simply be restored to the center of the household.

There was woke up within the British individuals up to now few days a way, as soon as extra, not merely of the previous, however of continuity of their nation and their lifestyle. It has been refreshing for many people to discover a method of taking satisfaction in our nation.

Yesterday’s occasions, with their deep echoes of historic faith, heraldry and custom, weren’t simply concerning the continuity of the royal home. They have been concerning the continuity of a nation and its individuals. Charles is undoubtedly the main focus of these emotions however Harry may definitely have a task, ought to he want it, in that continuity. It’s simply potential that all the pieces he has seen has opened his eyes to what his future may very well be.

As for Prince Andrew who has clung on to each royal privilege — in distinction to his mom’s lack of grandeur and her dignity and modesty — there can’t be a royal future. However he needn’t be banished from his brother’s kingdom.

Some years in the past Charles ruefully stated of his brother, then in the midst of another mishap, that what Andrew actually needed was ‘to be me’. He advised to his mom that maybe the youthful prince, who for a few years had been inheritor in line to the throne, ought to work for him.

In Charles’s patronage as King, may there not be such a task, through which a dutiful Andrew may make amends for errors?

He would definitely earn his brother’s timeless gratitude if he took it.

Second of truce and reconciliation? William silently reveals Harry and Meghan to their seats beside spouse Kate as warring brothers say remaining farewell to their grandmother in St George’s Chapel at Windsor

By Mark Duell for MailOnline

Prince William as we speak directed his estranged brother Prince Harry and sister-in-law Meghan Markle to their seats at St George’s Chapel simply earlier than the committal service for his or her late grandmother the Queen acquired underway.

The brothers have put apart their feud for a united entrance to recollect the monarch, and once more confirmed that they might at the very least be on talking phrases as they interacted with one another within the chapel at Windsor Citadel.

William was seen strolling to the top of the pew whereas holding again his son Prince George subsequent to spouse Kate Middleton and daughter Princess Charlotte, as he beckoned for Harry and Meghan to stroll previous them.

Harry and Meghan then took their seats, with the Duke of Sussex sitting subsequent to Charlotte. Kate was sat in between Charlotte and George, with the nine-year-old prince subsequent to William who was on the top of the pew.

The royals had adopted behind the Queen’s coffin into the chapel after it was lifted from the state hearse and carried in forward of the service at 4pm. The procession was led in by members of the Queen’s royal family. 

As soon as once more King Charles III adopted behind the coffin, with Queen Consort Camilla, in addition to Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind, then Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Earlier as we speak, William and Harry additionally walked collectively behind the Queen’s coffin in London in emotional scenes this morning earlier than it was carried into Westminster Abbey by the navy bearer get together for her state funeral.

In the present day marks the fourth day in simply over per week that Harry and William have carried out engagements collectively, with royal observers hoping they’re making first steps to place their troubled relationship behind them.

The brothers additionally adopted behind the Queen’s coffin for a procession to Westminster Corridor final Wednesday; a vigil over the coffin on Saturday; and a walkabout with Kate and Meghan exterior Windsor Citadel on September 10.

Whereas William and Harry have put apart their disagreements for royal occasions in latest days, fears over the content material of Harry’s upcoming memoir proceed to solid a cloud over their relationship – particularly following the bombshell interview he and Meghan gave to Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 once they accused an unnamed royal of racism.

Rumours of a rift between the brothers first emerged in 2019 once they divided their households following numerous disagreements about Harry’s position, however their feud deepened amid the fallout from the Megxit saga in 2020.

However the demise of the Queen has seen the rivals shelve their variations, with William and Kate joined in latest days by Harry and Meghan for the primary events in additional than two years since Commonwealth Day in March 2020.

In the present day, the royal household have been among the many 2,000 individuals gathered for the funeral, earlier than a committal service at Windsor Citadel. The service follows the Queen’s mendacity in state interval at Westminster Corridor, which ended at 6.30am.

The day marks the climax of the most important safety operation the UK has ever seen, surpassing the operation for the Platinum Jubilee weekend and the London 2012 Olympics, which noticed as much as 10,000 cops on responsibility per day.

Prince Andrew and Prince Harry have been each once more banned from saluting in the course of the procession to Westminster Abbey as we speak – whereas different royals together with King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Anne all carried out the gesture.

Members of the Royal Household saluted when the Queen’s coffin was taken into the Abbey. However Andrew and Harry merely stood nonetheless as a result of they weren’t allowed to put on navy uniform, as neither are actually working royals.

It comes after Harry and Andrew have been additionally prohibited from saluting on the funeral procession to Westminster Corridor final Wednesday.  Andrew did additionally not salute at the vigil final Monday in Edinburgh for a similar cause.

The choice to ban Harry and Andrew from sporting navy uniforms in most occasions following the Queen’s demise at Balmoral 11 days in the past is a reminder of how each now have restricted involvement within the Royal Household.

Prince Harry spent ten years within the Military, however he was stripped of his honorary navy titles in 2020 after he and his spouse Meghan Markle introduced they have been stepping down as senior working royals and transferring overseas.

His uncle the Duke of York, who was compelled to face down from public life in 2019 over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, is the one different royal banned from sporting navy uniform on the ceremonial occasions and funeral.

It comes after a rare row over the choice to take away the Queen’s initials from the shoulder of Prince Harry’s navy uniform laid naked the depth of his rift with the Royal Household.

The prince was stated to have been left ‘devastated’ after receiving his ceremonial gown of the Blues and Royals from Buckingham Palace with out the distinctive EIIR cipher on the shoulder.

He wore the uniform to Saturday evening’s vigil over the Queen’s coffin alongside the monarch’s seven different grandchildren. Such was his despair, Harry is even stated to have thought of sporting a morning go well with as they have been leaving in an effort to keep away from the ’embarrassment’.

William and Harry, each wearing navy uniform, stood at both finish of the coffin on Saturday evening. They have been joined by cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and Woman Louise Windsor and her brother Viscount Severn. 

Harry, who noticed motion on the entrance line throughout two excursions of responsibility in Afghanistan, had beforehand been informed he must put on a morning go well with as he’s now not a working royal and has been stripped of any honorary navy appointments.

Nevertheless, his father, King Charles, granted permission for his son to put on his outdated uniform on the vigil contained in the Palace of Westminster as a present of respect and unity to the late Queen.

It’s understood that no private slight was supposed, and The cipher was eliminated just because Harry is now not an aide-de-camp (ADC) to the Queen after quitting royal duties and handing again his navy appointments.

A Private Aide-de-Camp is an appointment bestowed solely on members of the Royal Household holding navy rank, together with the Prince of Wales.

These days, it’s an honorary position with few duties or tasks, though traditionally it could have signified shut proximity to the monarch. Harry was awarded the honour in 2018 and it was seen as an indication of his rising accountability inside the monarchy.

However following his acrimonious determination in 2020 to stop as a working royal and search his fortune within the US, the Queen insisted he withdraw from all tasks and appointments. It means he’s merely now not entitled to put on the insignia of an ADC on his uniform.

A lot has been product of the truth that the shamed Duke of York was seen in his ADC insignia at Friday evening’s vigil by the Queen’s kids. 

Andrew was permitted to put on it as a result of, not like Harry, he didn’t give the honour again when he relinquished his navy associations in January. A spokesman stated it was a private appointment by the Queen.

Questions will undoubtedly be raised, nonetheless, as to why Harry was compelled handy the honour again, when his uncle was not.

On Saturday, Prince William was sporting the Blues and Royals, No.1 Uniform, the Garter Sash, the Garter Star, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals and RAF Pilot Wings.

Harry was sporting the Blues and Royals, No.1 Uniform, KCVO Neck Order and Star, Afghanistan Operational Service Medal, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals and Military Pilot Wings.

Harry, nonetheless, wore civilian gown for as we speak’s funeral.

Andrew stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

He went on to pay tens of millions, with no admission as to legal responsibility, to settle a civil sexual assault case to a girl he claimed by no means to have met.

In January, forward of his authorized settlement, the Queen stripped him of all of his honorary navy roles, together with Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and he gave up his HRH model.

Andrew, a former Royal Navy officer who served within the Falklands Warfare, retained his rank as a Vice Admiral, and is anticipated to put on the coinciding uniform.

Virginia Giuffre, previously generally known as Virginia Roberts, sued him for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew denied the claims.

On the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April 2021, the gown difficulty was handled by the Queen who determined that no members of the royal household ought to put on uniform.

The Every day Mail revealed that Andrew had demanded to be allowed to put on his uniform as an honorary vice-admiral of the British royal navy.

Across the time of the Philip’s funeral, Andrew even went to his mom to ask her to again him within the uniform row as she ready to say goodbye to her beloved husband.

After the Mail’s story broke, it was introduced that senior royals would put on morning fits in an effort to deflect the row. It was a break with custom however seen as essentially the most eloquent resolution to the issue.

Andrew was as a consequence of be promoted to Admiral in 2020 to mark his sixtieth birthday, however this didn’t go forward following the fallout from his disastrous Newsnight look.

In the present day, the Queen’s coffin was taken in a grand navy procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the funeral at 11am.

Earlier than the service, performed by the Very Rev David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, the tenor bell was tolled each minute for 96 minutes, reflecting the years of the Queen’s life.

Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, members of European royal households and key figures from public life gathered on the abbey.

However invites weren’t despatched to Russia and Belarus as a result of invasion of Ukraine, whereas Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Myanmar’s navy junta and Syria’s Bashar Assad have been additionally excluded.

The Queen’s Piper, Warrant Officer Class 1 (Pipe Main) Paul Burns, performed the normal lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep after The Final Submit, two minutes’ silence, Reveille and the nationwide anthem.

In the course of the service the King and the Queen Consort sat within the ornate Canada Membership chairs, with Camilla subsequent to the Princess Royal, then Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, then the Duke of York after which the Earl and Countess of Wessex within the entrance row of the south lantern.

Throughout the aisle was the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, after which Peter Phillips and Zara and Mike Tindall.

Immediately behind the King was the Duke of Sussex with the Duchess of Sussex behind Camilla. Meghan was sitting subsequent to Princess Beatrice.

US President Joe Biden shall be 14 rows again on the south transept behind the Polish chief and in entrance of the Czech Republic. The First Woman shall be subsequent to Switzerland’s consultant.

Different heads of state together with French President Emmanuel Macron have been additionally within the abbey, whereas senior British politicians together with Prime Minister Liz Truss, Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer and former prime ministers Boris Johnson, David Cameron and Theresa Might have been amongst these taking their seats.

The funeral was broadcast reside at round 125 cinemas and a number of other cathedrals within the UK, and on a giant display in Holyrood Park in entrance of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.

At 12.15pm, the coffin shall be taken in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch after which journey to Windsor.

The hearse will then journey in procession to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Citadel through the Lengthy Stroll, after which a televised committal service will happen in St George’s Chapel at 4pm.

The Dean of Windsor will conduct the service, with prayers stated by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk and the Chaplain of Windsor Nice Park.

The chapel’s choir will sing and after the penultimate hymn, the imperial state crown, the orb and the sceptre shall be moved from the Queen’s coffin to the altar.

After the ultimate hymn, the King will place the Queen’s Firm Camp Color of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin, whereas the Lord Chamberlain breaks his Wand of Workplace and locations it on the coffin.

The Dean of Windsor will say a psalm and the Commendation whereas the Queen’s coffin is lowered into the royal vault.

After this, the Sovereign’s Piper will play a lament and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will pronounce the blessing, earlier than the congregation sings the nationwide anthem.

Forward of the service, Mr Welby stated: ‘We come collectively to present thanks for a protracted life, lived in service to her individuals and her saviour, Jesus Christ.’

Later within the night, there shall be a non-public interment service with senior members of the royal household, the place the Queen shall be reunited along with her beloved husband the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen’s remaining resting place would be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the primary chapel the place her mom and father have been buried, together with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Philip’s coffin will transfer from the royal vault to the memorial chapel to hitch the Queen’s.