Last Friday, on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, Prince Harry paid tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip in a personal letter that accompanied a wreath.
The letter was left secretly by one of Harry’s friends at the Burma Star Memorial in Staffordshire, after the remembrance service, attended by The King and Queen. GB News was the first to report on this.
The service was just one of the many commemorations marking 80 years since Japan’s surrender at the end of Second World War. At the service were 33 veterans whose ages ranged from 96 to 105.
Prince Harry’s personal tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh was part of a letter which thanked the men and women of the Far East campaign for their sacrifice for the freedom of future generations. His wreath of poppies was placed alongside many others paying homage to the fallen at the memorial.
The Duke began his letter by addressing the ‘Forgotten Army’, it read:
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‘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 recognise you, the men and women of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ whose courage and endurance in the Far East campaign were anything but forgettable.
Apart from a statement after the death of Prince Philip in 2021, The Duke of Sussex has never publicly given a personal tribute to his late grandfather.
‘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.
‘Your service in the jungles and mountains of Burma and beyond was marked by grit, unity, and sacrifice. It is because of that sacrifice that generations since, myself included, have been able to live in freedom. From the lessons of that bitter struggle came the understanding that even the fiercest of foes can, in time, become valued partners in peace. Today, as both our nations mark this anniversary, we acknowledge the respect earned, the lives lost and the enduring friendship that has since taken root.’
Harry then reflected on the personal meaning to the anniversary in referencing his late grandfather, stating the anniversary carried ‘an added layer of meaning’.
He added how Philip ‘spoke with quiet humility about those years’, but he knows how deeply his grandfather 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.’
The Duke of Sussex concluded his letter by stating that he is ‘humbled’ by the Forgotten Army’s example, proud of their service and dedication and grateful for what their endured: ‘Your story is part of our shared heritage, and it must never be forgotten. With the deepest respect, thank you.’
Prince Harry is believed to have been close to his late grandfather, who was mentioned in despatches for bravery during the Battle of Cape Matapan in 1941, where he controlled the searchlights of the battleship HMS Valiant.
During his naval career, Philip was promoted to Lieutenant in 1942 at the age of 21 and became one of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy. The late Duke, or Lieutenant Mountbatten as he was known then, was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender was signed.
On his return to the UK he was posted as an instructor at HMS Royal Arthur, the Petty Officers’ school in Wiltshire.
Harry, like his grandfather, was active in the armed forces, commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant Wales in the Blues and Royals, a Household Cavalry regiment in the army, after passing out at Sandringham. After delays, he eventually got to serve in Afghanistan in 2008, however he was pulled out after a media leak put his security at risk.
His second tour of Afghanistan was in 2012 as an Apache Helicopter pilot, he spent 20 weeks out with his section.
After their time in the military came to an end, both the Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Sussex kept the military close through their patronages: Harry created the Invictus Games in 2014 for service men and women, whilst one of Philip’s final engagements prior to his retirement from royal duties in 2017 in his role as his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, when he handed over the role to his grandson.
