Prince Harry left an emotional tribute to his late grandfather Prince Philip on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War just hours after his father King Charles also paid tribute
Prince Harry has paid tribute to his late grandfather Prince Philip in a secret letter on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – just hours after King Charles and Queen Camilla also marked the emotional day.
The King and Queen led the nation in commemorating the 80th anniversary of VJ Day during a moving ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Friday. The moving ceremony came on the day that Charles vowed that the sacrifice of heroes who fought and died in the campaigns in the Pacific and Far East during the Second World War “shall never be forgotten”.
Just hours later, a letter and wreath from Prince Harry, who served in the Army for 10 years, was placed at the Burma Star Memorial at the same location.
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The letter, which includes his royal emblem, pays tribute to all that fought in the war, including his late grandfather, Prince Philip, who served in the Far East. The letter, first revealed by GB News, was not signed by Harry’s wife, Meghan.
The letter was addressed to “the Forgotten Army”, and read in full: “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.
“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.
“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.
“I am humbled by your example, proud of your service and dedication, and profoundly grateful for what you endured. Your story is part of our shared heritage, and it must never be forgotten. With the deepest respect, thank you. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.”
The late Philip, who died aged 99 in 2021, was in Tokyo Bay on board the destroyer HMS Whelp, a warship he served on as second-in-command, when Japanese officials formally signed the surrender on the USS Missouri.
In a major sign that Harry is keen on making amends with his royal relatives, it is reported that he insisted the tribute was laid by a friend – with strict instructions only to place it at the memorial once his father and stepmother had left the event, so as not to overshadow them.
The move comes just weeks after it emerged that top aides for Harry and Charles met in London last month, tipped as a crucial “first step” in what insiders believed could be a “rapprochement process” between the estranged Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family.
