Harry and Andrew win battle to wear military uniforms as the Queen's children and then all EIGHT of her grandchildren hold sombre vigils over her coffin in Westminster Hall
By James Robinson for MailOnline
14:53 EDT 15 Sep 2022 , updated 15:49 EDT 15 Sep 2022
Princes William and Harry due to take part in a special vigil for the Queen at Westminster Hall on Saturday
The pair will join six other grandchildren tomorrow at vigil, where they will stand guard of the Queen's coffin
Event will mirror Vigil of the Princes - which saw Charles, Anne, Edward and Andrew stand guard in Edinburgh
Charles, Anne, Edward and Andrew will hold another vigil beside the Queen's coffin in Westminster on Friday
According to the Mirror, Prince Harry will be allowed to wear a military uniform at the event on Saturday
Princes William and Harry will take part in a special vigil in honour of the Queen on Saturday, it has tonight been reported.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex are set to join the Queen's six other grandchildren in a special 15 minute vigil at Westminster Hall.
The eight grandchildren will reportedly stand in silence beside Her Majesty's coffin, in a scene which will mirror the Vigil of the Princes.
The special vigil saw King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, stand guard at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh earlier this week.
Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward will repeat the vigil at Westminster Hall on Friday night. It will now be followed by a separate event by the grandchildren on Saturday.
And in a further twist, the Duke of Sussex will be allowed to wear military uniform at the event, according to The Mirror.
>Why have Prince Andrew and Prince Harry been prevented from wearing military uniforms up until now?
Prince Andrew was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, in January this year amid his defence of sexual assault allegations made against him by Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Roberts.
Earlier this year, Prince Andrew agreed a £12million deal to settle the US lawsuit, ending the possibility of a civil trial. Prince Andrew denied the allegations against him.
But as he is not a front line working royal, he is not allowed to wear military uniform. Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot and instructor and as the captain of a warship. He saw active duty during the Falklands War.
He did not wear a military uniform during the previous Vigil of the Princes at St Giles's Cathedral in Edinburgh this week, but he has been given special dispensation to wear a uniform for the event at Westminster Hall on Friday as a 'special mark of respect' for the Queen.
Prince Harry was stripped of his military titles in February as part of his agreement to step back from frontline royal duties and move to the US with wife Meghan Markle.
Buckingham Palace said that as the couple would not be returning as working members of the Royal Family, it was 'not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.'
Prince Harry served in the British army for a decade, including two tours of Afghanistan.
Prince Harry has reportedly been given special dispensation to don military colours at the vigil. However it is not clear what uniform he will wear, given that he no longer holds a position in the military.
The Duke of Sussex has so far be unable to wear military uniform during any of his public appearances following the Queen's death.
That is because, when he stepped back as a front line royal in the wake of Megxit, he was stripped of his military patrognages.
Prince Harry, who served in the British army for a decade including two tours of Afghanistan, has so far worn a mourning suit with military medals to public events.
However Prince Andrew, who also stepped back frontline royal duties in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal, is set to be given special dispensation to wear his colours on Friday night.
The exception was made for the Duke of York to wear uniform for the vigil at Westminster Hall as a 'final mark of respect' for his mother.
He is expected to wear the full military dress uniform of a Vice Admiral of the Navy - the only military rank that he still holds.
The decision to allow Prince Andrew to wear a military uniform, while maintain the Duke of Sussex's ban, had led to criticism from some quarters, while the Duke of Sussex himself released a pointed statement addressing the issue, saying his decade of service was 'not determined by the uniform he wears'.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11216977/All-eight-Queen-grandchildren-including-William-Harry-Westminster-vigil.html