Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Find a Way to Honor Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the United States in 2020, the former soldier and his wife have made inroads with the veteran community in their new home. To mark Veteran’s Day, the couple made a visit to Camp Pendleton in San Diego on Wednesday, where they met with a handful of active duty servicemembers, veterans, and members of Gold Star Families. According to the website for their Archewell Foundation, they visited the base’s first-of-its-kind mentorship service Operation Bigs, which connects young people with people who can relate to the challenges of having a deployed parent.

But Harry hasn’t forgotten his home country, which will celebrate Remembrance Day to honor veterans on the same day. In addition to wearing a poppy on his lapel when he visited Camp Pendleton, Harry announced Thursday that he was signing on as a global ambassador for UK-based charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports the children of deceased service members. 

In a letter, Harry wrote about the importance of the charity’s mission. “Growing up, having lost a parent, is immensely difficult,” he wrote. “But being part of such a strong and resilient community like Scotty’s can really help. Spending time with people who understand what you may be feeling and who can rally around you in moments of need is something to cherish.” 

Nikki Scott, the charity’s founder, explained that Harry’s personal military service and his experience after the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, make him well-suited to the role with the charity. “He’s supported Scotty’s for a number of years and having been bereaved as a child himself and having served in the British Armed Forces, including deploying to Afghanistan, Prince Harry resonates with our members,” she said in a statement. “They know he truly understands them and the challenges they face as bereaved military children.”

Harry first got involved with Scotty’s in 2017, and when he married Meghan in May 2018, the couple selected the charity as one of a handful where they directed donations in lieu of gifts from well-wishers. Bridging the divide between Harry and his extended family, representatives from the organization joined King Charles for the 2022 National Service of Remembrance parade to the Cenotaph war memorial last year. 

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