Insiders at Buckingham Palace told the wayward Duke won’t be allowed to join his fellow royals at the annual service as he stepped away from full time royal duties in March. Harry has previously voiced his desire to return to the UK to work with his charities, but claimed the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has scuppered chances to make the flight back. While the Duke won’t be able to pay his tributes at the Cenotaph as a royal, experts have claimed he could make an appearance due to his military service.
This year will see the royals hold a “closed door” ceremony marking Remembrance Day from Buckingham Palace’ balcony.
Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince William are set to lay poppy wreaths on the Cenotaph along with a small group of veterans.
But Harry is not set to join his family at the ceremony after stepping back from royal duties earlier this year.
A Buckingham Palace source told as Harry is “no longer a working royal” he “cannot join his family at the Cenotaph”.
READ MORE: Prince Harry’s emotional message to rugby fans ahead of milestone event
The source added Harry may still make an appearance at the ceremony, but not as a royal.
They added: “He would be able to attend in his capacity as a former soldier who served his country well in Afghanistan.”
Speculation arose that the Duke would be appearing at the ceremony this year after it was revealed Frogmore Cottage was being prepared for a resident.
Another royal source told the paper: “Staff at Windsor have been told to prepare it for the possibility Harry could come back.”
Harry and Meghan are now living in Montecito, California after the couple bought their own mansion.
Current US guidelines hold that anyone who has been in UK within 14 days of journeying to America will not be able to enter the country.
UK guidelines also hold that anyone arriving from the US must self-isolate for 14 days.
A royal source told Vanity Fair: “Global travel has been made very complicated by the coronavirus pandemic and at the moment the Duke has no plans to travel back to the UK, certainly not before Christmas.
“The problem is if he comes over then he has to quarantine and that makes things quite difficult.”
There are exceptions for US citizens, like Meghan, and immediate family members who are allowed to return home immediately.
But the couple are said to be looking to spend their first full Christmas as private citizens in the US.
Katie Nicholl, royal expert, told Vanity Fair: “With coronavirus cases rising in the UK and a possible ban on household mixing, all plans for the royals’ Christmas are also on hold.
“Nonetheless, the news that Harry won’t be coming home will likely be disappointing for the Queen, who is said to miss her grandson and great-grandson Archie, whom she has not seen for a year.”
