It has been revealed that Prince Harry secretly placed a heartfelt letter honoring Second World War veterans at a national memorial just hours after King Charles and Queen Camilla’s official visit.
The King and Queen spearheaded the nation’s commemoration of the 80th anniversary of VJ Day during an emotional ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Friday.
The occasion marked the day Charles pledged that the sacrifice of heroes who battled and perished in the Pacific and Far East campaigns during the Second World War “shall never be forgotten”.
It has now come to light that Harry, who dedicated 10 years to Army service, also delivered a heartfelt tribute to the veterans by arranging for a personal letter and wreath to be positioned at the Burma Star Memorial at the same site.
In a significant indication that Harry is eager to reconcile with his Royal family members, reports suggest he demanded the tribute be placed by a friend – with explicit orders to only position it at the memorial after his father and stepmother had departed the ceremony, ensuring he wouldn’t upstage them.
The letter, fastened to a poppy wreath, features his Royal emblem and bears the signature of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. He honors all who served in the conflict, including his late grandfather, Prince Philip, who fought in the Far East.
In photographs secured by GB News, the letter states: “For me, this anniversary carries an added layer of meaning. My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Pacific campaign.
“He spoke with quiet humility about those years, but I know how deeply he respected all who stood beside him in that theatre of war. Today, as I think of him, I think also of each of you, of the shared hardships, the bonds forged, and the legacy you leave.”
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He further stated: “On this 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we pause to remember the day the guns finally fell silent across the world, the true end of the Second World War. We also pause to recognize you, the men and women of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ whose courage and endurance in the Far East campaign were anything but forgettable.
“You faced an enemy determined to the last, fought in unforgiving terrain, and endured months – even years – far from home, in conditions most could scarcely imagine.”
This development comes just weeks after it was revealed that top aides for Harry and Charles convened in London last month, seen as a pivotal “first step” in what insiders believed could be a “rapprochement process” between the estranged Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family.
The meeting occurred between Harry’s right-hand woman, Meredith Maines, who flew in from California, and the King’s communications chief, Tobyn Andreae, on neutral ground at the Royal Over-Seas League.
This gathering happened just two months after Harry’s revealing BBC interview, where he claimed Charles “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff,” referring to the controversial removal of his police protection in the UK.
Meanwhile, at Friday’s ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum, Camilla appeared visibly moved as a war veteran departed from his prepared remarks to honor the King’s courageous cancer fight.
Charles and Camilla were joined by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and 33 veterans ranging in age from 96 to 105 who had served in the Far East and Pacific during a national commemoration service.
VJ Day on August 15 commemorates the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of the six-year conflict, though much of the 1945 festivities centered on VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May, leaving those who fought in the Far East known as The Forgotten Army.
Yavar Abbas, who served as a captain in the 11th Sikh Regiment, took the podium at the National Memorial Arboretum to share excerpts from his wartime journals documenting his experiences in Burma in 1945, but paused to honor his “brave king” first.
Camilla gazed at her husband seated beside her and seemed to dab away a tear as Mr Abbas, 105, originally from Lucknow in India, declared: “I make no apologies for briefly going off the script to salute my brave king, who is here with his beloved queen in spite of the fact that he is under treatment for cancer.”
Cheers erupted from the assembled crowd of approximately 1,500 attendees as Mr Abbas revealed he had also fought cancer, expressing hope that it would provide “comfort” knowing he had been free of the illness for 25 years. He further stated: “I salute him for gracing this occasion, because by his presence here, he has gone a long way to make sure that his grandad’s 14th Army is never given the sobriquet again of The Forgotten Army.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.the-express.com ’
