Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry will take part in the vigil for Queen Elizabeth II tonight, appearing in military uniform alongside their grandmother as she lays in state in Westminster Hall. Their wives Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle won’t be alongside them—but that’s not a snub. Only the grandchildren of the Queen were asked to participate, as Queen Elizabeth II’s children did in a vigil on Friday night. Per Hello!, the family decided that the grandchildren would appear without their partners, so both Kate and Meghan will remain at their homes in Windsor.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and Kate Middleton on Wednesday during the procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
On Saturday, William, Harry, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, Lady Louise, and James, Viscount Severn will stand for 15 minutes over the Queen’s coffin. Only William and Harry will appear in military uniform at King Charles III’s request, according to Hello!, as they are the only veterans in the group. The rest of the grandchildren will be in “morning coat and dark formal dress with decorations,” the outlet wrote.
All members of the royal family will be attending the Queen’s funeral on Monday.
Both Harry and William have released their own statements sharing how much their relationship with their grandmother meant to them.
Harry wrote in his, “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over.”
William touched on her significance in his remarks as well, saying, “She was by my side at my happiest moments,” he said. “And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life. I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real. I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me.”
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
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