Military Losing Respect for Prince Harry, ‘Disgusted at Disrespect to Queen’

harry marines
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Jack Montgomery

Current and former members of Britain’s Armed Forces are losing respect for Prince Harry, an Afghanistan veteran, as he abandons his public duties in order to pursue money-making opportunities with wife Meghan.

Harry, younger son of heir apparent Prince Charles and sixth in line to the throne after brother William and his children, had been popular with the Armed Forces community, having served on the frontline in Afghanistan and done a great deal of charitable work for veterans, such as the Invictus Games.

As a bastion of staunch royalism, however, the Armed Forces has been less than impressed with the prince’s recent antics, as he announced — reportedly without giving the Queen or other senior royals more than a few minutes’ notice — his intention to walk away from much of his public duties along with his American wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to help her establish them as a celebrity “power couple” in North America.

“Prince Harry has every right to want to balance his responsibilities between the Royal family and his wife and young family,” one “highly decorated” Army figure remarked in comments to The Telegraph — “But first and foremost Harry was a commissioned officer who pledged allegiance to the Queen and the Queen is his grandmother, so when push comes to shove, Queen and country come first.”

Captain James Glancy, a veteran of the Special Boat Service (SBS) — the less famous but equally ferocious maritime counterpart of the Special Air Service (SAS) — who had previously suggested he would decline to toast Prince Harry was substantially more direct in an interview on Nigel Farage’s radio show.

“Harry’s been a great public servant,” Glancy acknowledged, referencing his “two tours of Afghanistan” and “brilliant work in charity… especially with the Invictus Games.”

“But his behaviour in the last year is not becoming of somebody that holds these important positions, these patronages, including that of the Captain General [of the Royal Marines],” he said.

“Now I’ve spoken to other Royal Marines and other people in the military and they’re very upset if not disgusted at the disrespect to the Queen by not discussing [his plans with Meghan].

“If he wants to leave those positions, if he wants to go abroad with his wife, he’s absolutely entitled to have another life and he’s entitled to live overseas. But you can’t do this half and half. You’re either in or you’re out,” Captain Glancy insisted.

Members of the royal household often hold largely ceremonial leadership positions in Britain’s military units; an arrangement typically regarded with pride by either side.

The Royal Marines are reportedly souring on their Captain General as he has appeared to become increasingly obsessed with celebrity and political activism following his marriage to Meghan Markle, however, with his interest in the Corps waning considerably.

“A lot of lads were not impressed that he was just given a beret and his commando badges yet he did nothing for them, not one run, nothing [in the first place],” one Commando told the Daily Mirror.

“He won’t be missed,” the source added, lamenting the fact that “His Dad [Prince Charles], who heads the Paras [Parachute Regiment] underwent the jumps course before the Army would let him wear wings, yet we just gave our beret and badges away.”

The Mirror was told that “The Corps keeps HRH [His Royal Highness] informed on a regular basis of what is going on with the Commando Brigade, but he has not been seen for some months”.

For Captain Glancy, however, “What’s even worse is the thought of this privatisation of the monarchy.”

“It’s not acceptable. Either do one or the other. You don’t sit as Captain General or in any other [public] position and make millions of pounds [privately] because that opportunity is not available to a soldier, to a marine who is on £20,000 a year,” he said.

“They can’t turn up to their commanding officer and say ‘do you know what, boss, I’m going to go and live in another country, but would you mind still paying me.'”

The SBS veteran conceded to Farage that he may have spoken too rashly in saying he would not toast the prince, clarifying that he would of course do so — if he changes his mind about “stepping back” from his duties.

“But if he does go down this route of semi-privatising his role, earning millions and thinks he can continue to gain our respect, no I wouldn’t,” Glancy confirmed.

“You cannot commercialise this operation… in the military, you are paid a small amount of money and you serve your country. You don’t get paid and decide you’re going to have a second career on the side. That’s not how it works and that’s not how it works being a Royal.”

So far, Harry and Meghan have not indicated that they intend to give up any of their titles or positions.

Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery
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