Dismay over Prince Harry's Refusal to Attend Grandfather's Memorial Service

After confirming that he won't be attending his grandfather's memorial service this end of March in England, many royal observers expressed dismay on Prince Harry, recalling how close he was with his grandfather.

The Duke of Sussex refused to attend the memorial service honoring Prince Philip, after his request to have police protection when he and his family return to England, was turned down.

The decision not to provide him with police protection, even if he would be footing the bill, is the fact that he and his wife are no longer working royals and that his private security detail is enough to handle the job.

Harry also fretted the British media's unfair treatment to his wife, Meghan Markle, which he viewed as discriminatory.

For royal observers, his decision was disrespectful to his grandfather's memory. He is the only Windsor who won't be attending the March 29 memorial. Even his disgraced uncle, Prince Andrew, insisted to be at his father's memorial service.

Perhaps, Harry needed to be reminded how close he was to Prince Philip, and how special their bond was.

Prince Philip, a naval commander, was a World War II veteran, and Prince Harry is the only male member of his family, apart from Prince Andrew, who followed in his footstep to take action in the front line. 

Harry joined British and American troops on two combat missions in Afghanistan where he served as a tank commander.

Bonded with their interest in the military life, Prince Philip was pleased that his grandson followed his footstep in serving the army on real combat mission. 

Prince William, on the other hand, didn't see action in real military missions other than serving as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot at the Royal Air force.

Prince Harry accompanied his grandparents on Remembrance Sunday 2009 to honor war veterans

Prince Philip played a central role in Prince William and Prince Harry's lives when their mother died in 1997. The young princes and their father, the Prince of Wales, were staying at Balmoral with the Queen and Prince Philip when the Princess of Wales met a fatal car crash in France.

Bonded by military matters. Prince Philip and his grandsons, William and Harry

It was the Duke of Edinburgh's support that boosted the confidence of the young princes to walk in the cortege of their mother during the funeral. Prince Philip, who was already 76 at that time, assured his grandsons he would walk with them.

Prior to the Duke's retirement,  Prince Harry regularly accompanied his grandfather on engagements around Remembrance Sunday. 

Prince Philip, Prince William, Charles Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles walking behind Diana's cortege

It was also thought possible that the Duke's decision to undergo a hip replacement operation in 2018 was his desire to be physically fit to attend the wedding of Harry and  Meghan in May 2018.

Philip made a special effort to support his grandson’s personal endeavors, meeting Harry’s Walking With the Wounded team at Buckingham Palace in 2013 and taking a tour of his Sentebale Diana tribute garden with the prince himself at the RHS Chelsea Flower show in 2015.

Prince Philip and Prince Harry during the turnover ceremony of the Captain General Royal Marines military honors

When he retired from public duty in 2017, the Duke passed to Harry one of his most important jobs that's closest to his heart, Captain General Royal Marines which he held for more than 60 years. The turnover ceremony was also Prince Philip's last duty performed as a working royal.

When Harry stepped back from senior royal role, Captain General Royal Marines was given to Princess Anne.

List of foreign royals who will be attending Prince Philip's Memorial Service