The Duke of Sussex has penned a passionate essay
Steven Smith Content Editor
07:04, 05 Nov 2025Updated 07:19, 05 Nov 2025
Prince Harry has released a new piece (Image: Michael Loccisano, Getty Images)
The Duke of Sussex has shared his pride about serving his country, expressing his love for the “things that make us British”, and highlighting the ease with which veterans can be overlooked “once the uniform comes off”. Harry, who served two tours on the frontline in Afghanistan, has written a poignant essay ahead of Remembrance Day, where he talks about the honour of serving alongside men and women from all over the UK.
He encourages people to remember “not only the fallen, but the living” who bear the “weight of war” and prompts them to reach out to veterans, inviting them for a “join them for a cuppa…or a pint”, to listen to their stories and “remind them their service still matters”.
In his personal 647-word piece titled “The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British – By Prince Harry”, the duke acknowledges that while he “currently” resides in the US, he maintains that “Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for”.
Harry pays homage to the “stoic spirit” of self-deprecation and humour of “us Brits” and fondly recalls how the “banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands” are the “things that make us British”, adding “I love it”. He portrays Remembrance as “not simply a minute’s silence” but “a call to collective responsibility”.
At the beginning of his reflective piece, the duke states: “Every November the world, for a moment, grows quieter. We pause, together, to remember.
“Remembrance has never been about glorifying war. It’s about recognising its cost: the lives changed forever and the lessons paid for, through unimaginable sacrifice. It’s also about honouring those who, knowing that cost, still choose to serve.”
Reflecting on the “resilience” and “fierce determination” of Ukrainians he encountered during his September visit to the war-torn nation, Harry continues: “There is a similar stoic spirit of self-deprecation and humour in Ukrainians, that I recognise more than any other, in us Brits.
“Though currently, I may live in the United States, Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for. The banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands – ridiculous as it sounds, these are the things that make us British. I make no apology for it. I love it.”
The Duke of Sussex during a visit to the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon(Image: PA)
Offering a heartfelt tribute to ex-service personnel from across Britain’s four nations and their communities, he adds: “I’ve had the privilege of serving alongside men and women from all four corners of the UK; from Antrim to Anglesey, Lancashire to London, Wrexham to the East Riding, Belfast to Bedfordshire and beyond.
“I saw courage and compassion in the harshest conditions imaginable. But I also saw how easy it can be, once the uniform comes off, for those who gave everything, to feel forgotten.”
He cautioned that “our duty to them does not end when their service does”, and added: “They safeguarded our freedom. We must safeguard their future. That way we all benefit.”
Harry voiced his concern that, this Remembrance Sunday, “peace for those lucky enough to know it, feels more fragile than ever” across the globe. He shared how he is “moved” each year by the strength of the children of fallen military heroes supported by the Norfolk-based charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, and lauded the courage and camaraderie displayed at his Invictus Games competition.
He concluded with: “Remembrance isn’t confined to one weekend in November. It’s a lifelong commitment to empathy, gratitude, and action; to be kinder, more united, and braver in protecting what those before us fought to preserve.
“So, as we bow our heads this weekend, let us remember not only the fallen, but the living – those who still carry the weight of war in body and mind, and the families who bear its memory in their hearts. If you live near them, knock on their door. If you see them around, shake their hand. And if you feel so inclined, join them for a cuppa… or a pint, to hear their story and remind them their service still matters.”
As the Duke prepares to embark on a two-day visit to Toronto on Wednesday, he will be meeting with Canadian veterans, members of the armed forces community and military charities to mark the ‘Remembrancetide’ period, which spans the fortnight leading up to Remembrance Sunday. His message was shared while his brother, the Prince of Wales, is currently on a significant tour to Brazil and on the same day as William’s Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
The Prince of Wales has been in Brazil this week(Image: Aaron Chown/PA)
It’s believed that Harry’s words were released on Wednesday to avoid overshadowing William’s major speech at the Cop30 climate talks in the Amazon on Thursday, and from Remembrance events such as the Field of Remembrance on Thursday, the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday and commemorations at the Cenotaph on Sunday.
Harry reportedly wanted to use his message to speak directly to the men and women around the UK who he served alongside. He is said to strongly feel that, although the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts may be over and the operational tempo has slowed, with many troops having hung up their uniforms, he has not forgotten them and nor should the wider British public.
In 2020, the year he stepped down as a senior working Royal and relocated to the US with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Harry was left disheartened when his request to have a poppy wreath laid at the Cenotaph, the focal point of the UK’s Remembrance Sunday service, on his behalf was denied.
Just a few months later, the Duke was stripped of his military patronages by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, after his decision to seek personal and financial independence became permanent.
He has emphasised the significance he attaches to his time in the forces, stating in 2020: “(My military) experience changed my life forever and for the better. It changed how I viewed sacrifice and service. I was born into a life of duty, but it was during my decade in the army that I committed to a life of service.”
He further stated that it “made me who I am today”. Over a decade ago in 2014, Harry established his Invictus Games competition for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.
Birmingham has been successful in its bid to host the Games in the UK in 2027. In August this year, Harry paid a touching tribute to his late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in a private letter secretly left at the National Memorial Arboretum on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.
Harry had a friend quietly leave the note and a wreath of red poppies at the Burma Star Memorial in Staffordshire, following the national commemorations attended by the King and Queen.