Prince Harry has infuriated some fans regarding one of his appearances in Canada this week. The Duke of Sussex announced on Monday, the same day his estranged brother Prince William arrived in Brazil, that he would be travelling to Canada for two days this week for its annual Remembrance period.
Harry is now in Toronto, where he will meet with veterans, members of the armed forces community and military charities. The charities include the True Patriot Love Foundation, which invited him to Canada and The Halo Trust. The Duke’s team have insisted the visit has been months in the planning and holds a special place in his heart.
Harry will attend various events today linked to both charities, but one engagement tomorrow has garnered significant interest on social media.
He is set to visit the Veterans Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, one of the largest veteran care facilities in Canada and speak with veterans and healthcare professionals at the centre.
But fans became furious after an email allegedly sent to the families of the veterans at Sunnybrook appeared to ask them not to attend the event on Thursday, as it would be closed to “all outside guests”, including them.
A picture circulating on X showed the message, which read: “Dear families, As you may have heard, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex will visit Sunnybrook’s Veterans Centre on November 6.
“This event is closed to all outside guests, including family members of our veterans.
“We appreciate your support in keeping this event private and focused on our veterans.”
One user commented on X: “So the event is closed to veterans ’ families but in the next breath she says to keep the focus on veterans.”
Another one added: “And who is @Sunnybrook, exactly, to ban families from being present?”
A third one said: “How is that helping the veterans when the families of those veterans who are sick & bedridden can’t be there?”
A fourth one complained: “How is that helping the veterans when the families of those veterans who are sick & bedridden can’t be there?”
A fifth one opined: “He really is worried about being booed. What a slap in the face for these families.”
A sixth one said: “Sounds like it’s all about Harry, not the Veterans.”
It is unknown whether Harry had any involvement in how the event was managed by the organisers.
It comes as the Duke of Sussex, who has long championed veterans, penned a passionate essay ahead of Remembrance Day, in which he describes the privilege of serving alongside men and women from all four corners of the UK.
In the letter, which was published today, Harry expressed his pride at fighting for his country, his love of the “things that make us British”, and warned how easy it is for veterans to be forgotten “once the uniform comes off”.
In a personal 647-word piece titled “The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British – By Prince Harry”, the duke acknowledges that although he “currently” lives in the US, he reflects that “Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for”.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
