Prince Harry and Prince Andrew Excluded From Saluting Queen Elizabeth II's Coffin

Prince Andrew was also excluded from the moment.

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew were excluded from an important moment. Amid the mourning period following Queen Elizabeth II's death, the two men were not permitted to salute the late monarch's coffin.

As the royal family joined Queen Elizabeth's coffin on its procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday, the group paused as King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince William and others saluted the coffin, as Harry and Andrew stood with their heads bowed.

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In addition to not saluting the coffin, Harry and Andrew were not allowed to wear military uniforms for the procession. 

After stepping down as a senior member of the royal family in 2020, Harry was forced to relinquish his honorary military appointments. Meanwhile, Andrew was stripped of his military affiliations in January 2022 amid his ongoing lawsuit regarding his alleged sexual misconduct and involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex released a statement to royal reporters about Harry's reaction to not being allowed to wear his uniform despite his decade of service. 

"Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, will wear a mourning suit throughout events honoring his grandmother," the statement read. "His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears, and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

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After Queen Elizabeth's coffin arrived at Westminster Hall, the royal family attended a service at the location. Harry appeared to cry during the ceremony, which he left hand-in-hand with his wife, Meghan Markle.

Queen Elizabeth's coffin will lie in state at Westminster Abbey until her funeral on Sept. 19. 

For more on Her Majesty's death, and Queen Elizabeth II's funeral check out ET's ongoing coverage.

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