Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to America, they have always done something stateside to mark Veterans Day, or the UK’s Remembrance Day. It was made clear to Harry that the Windsors would shut down every effort Harry made to honor British veterans from America, including the Windsors refusing to lay Harry’s wreath at the Cenotaph in 2020. Last year, King Charles even had Harry’s Remembrance wreath removed from The Poppy Factory’s exhibit, that’s how much the royal family despises and disrespects veterans.
In years past, we’ve only learned about the Sussexes’ Remembrance activities after the fact. I’m glad they did something ahead of Veterans Day and Remembrance this year! Meghan and Harry were in San Diego on Wednesday for two events. During the day, they visited Camp Pendleton and spent time with military families. Then in the evening, they helped open up a new facility for Navy Seals and veterans.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are preparing for Veterans Day. On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s organization Archewell shared news that the two “spent the morning with veteran and active duty service members and their loved ones at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.”
During their visit to San Diego, Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, stopped by Operation Bigs — a first-of-its-kind mentoring program dedicated to children of military families, including active duty, veteran, and Gold Star families. Those who attended ahead of Veterans Day, which falls on Saturday, discussed how the mentorship offered through Operation Bigs has supported their goals and ambitions, as well as the community’s.
According to the Archewell website, the program was founded in 2004, and it helps to connect “young people and families to mentors who can relate to the shared experiences and challenges faced by having a parent or parents in the military when they are on deployment and after they have returned.” Since its launch, Operation Bigs has helped more than 3,000 children of Navy and Marine Corps members and has expanded to over 30 affiliates throughout the nation.
I’m including videos of the opening, plus photos taken by the photographer Matt Sayles, who is an industry photographer often hired by Archewell to get exclusive snaps. Something I enjoy is the fact that the American military and veteran communities have embraced Harry so much, to the point where he’s seen as some kind of in-house royal star at their events. Fashion notes for Meghan: her navy cardigan at Camp Pendleton was Carolina Herrera (and it’s already sold out) and her suit at the facility opening was Armani.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Make Under-the-Radar Visit to Camp Pendleton in San Diego https://t.co/C5sIcKGOc3
— People (@people) November 9, 2023
Archewell: “El príncipe Harry y Meghan, el duque y la duquesa de Sussex, pasaron la mañana con veteranos y militares en activo y sus seres queridos en Camp Pendleton, en San Diego (California).https://t.co/iK89IhgC3e pic.twitter.com/wA6EOw096p
— Panqueque Real 🥞 (@panquequereal) November 8, 2023
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, screencap courtesy of CBS San Diego/YouTube.
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at a benefit concert for Santa Barbara first responders on Kevin Costner’s estate in Montecito, USA, on 22 September 2023.,Image: 807665624, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JERRY PEREZ / Avalon
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at a benefit concert for Santa Barbara first responders on Kevin Costner’s estate in Montecito, USA, on 22 September 2023.,Image: 807665970, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JERRY PEREZ / Avalon
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at a benefit concert for Santa Barbara first responders on Kevin Costner’s estate in Montecito, USA, on 22 September 2023.,Image: 807666025, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JERRY PEREZ / Avalon
This is how it’s done (notice the lack of camo/military cosplay). It’s amazing how much more sincere and natural they come across. The pics don’t lie. Bravo to them.
Exactly my thoughts. When Harry and Meghan join these events, it seems to come from such a sincere place. They look genuinely interested, excited to meet people and are just naturally charming and not at all stiff.
You’re right, @Josephine, not an epaulette or a button in sight.
I feel badly for British vets. The Yanks have him now. And the British are stuck with lazy valor thieves.
LOL @ “lazy valor thieves. 🤣🤣 So true though, they’all valor thieves all those left over royals.
Go Sussexes, I love you and everything you do for the man and women in uniform., both past and present.✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾
Totally off topic, but my mum said to me this morn ‘why are the pyramids still in Egypt.?, because they were too heavy for the Brits to take them… ‘
(I’m Irish, we were oppressed, starved and pillaged by the Brits so I’m totally allowed make jokes like this)
No lies detected from your comment, @Laura C.
@Laura C my favourite John Oliver quote is that the British Museum is an active crime scene.
Hahhaha never thought of it that way but John Oliver’s right!
The question is, how will the UK tabloids spin this? Glad the American press got their first. Lest we forget.
Oh they’ve already started with the body language experts and saying Meghan pushed Harry out of the way. He was in the middle with the ribbon cutting because he’s a veteran. They look for anything to complain about. This was a great event!
Good for Harry!! He does all he can for veterans. I’m sure salt isle will complain but they should remember the nastiness he was met with when he wanted to have a wreath made for the veterans on salt isle.
@susanCollins, yes Susan, and I can’t begin to tell you how many of us veterans were REALLY pissed off about Harry’s wreath, but a little secret, one IS LAYED for Harry every year, after all the knobs have gone. No one who served or still serves was going to let them get away with it. Don’t know if you will watch the march past and wreath laying at the cenotaph, but, there will be another one appearing again this year.
Harry you don’t need this toxic little island, or your toxic bloody family, but they need you. Don’t give them an inch and carry on just how you are. More power to you and your wife xx
@MaryPester – this made me so happy. It never made sense why they wouldn’t let him have a wreath, just petty nastiness. Veterans deserve all the respect – not sure what the royal family thought they were winning.
@MaryPester, Thank you so much for that lovely little detail! And thank you for your military service.
@MaryPester – thanks for that gold nugget of information! Harry and Meghan’s admiration and support of the military and veterans totally outshines any of the performative nonsense the BaRF goes through. It goes way beyond wearing a $10K bejeweled poppy and showing up at a ceremony looking somber for a few minutes.
I need to get a grip, because this made me teary! Awww, thanks for sharing, Mary, that’s very sweet.
That’s made me so happy to hear that. Thanks for letting us know.
Thank you @Mary Pester for the share. I’m going to guess there are multiple wreaths layed down on Harry’s behalf (without his knowledge). As his old instructor told him, “And by the by, Captain Wales. F*ck this. It’s proper wrong.”.
I will always love the part in SPARE, when Harry’s military family stood up for him after the Vegas trip. His comrades shared photos of themselves in states of undress while covering their privates. That is unity. That is family with no blood ties. That is respect and love for one of their own.
❤️
They’re trying to force him to stop sending wreaths so then they can spin it to say, “See, Harry is a fraud who doesn’t really care about vets. He doesn’t even lay a wreath for the fallen.”
He will never stop, and we will never stop putting his wreath where it SHOULD BE. He more than any of the performing seals, deserves to have his respect for the military on show. Like jaded said, it’s not about bejewelled poppies coming out once a bloody year! It’s about a pride and sence of comradeship that ever falters. My regiment is marching again this year and one of mine WILL be laying THAT wreath
Will not click again to watch on YouTube. The comments are full of nastiness and a lot of nonsense about “letting PH walk in front of her” since he’s “royal”.
I click and watch a video if I want, but I never ever read the comments!! I find it very therapeutic to never give those m**fcuckers any satisfaction of making me stop anything I enjoy. So, any clips that aren’t derangers of BM sites, I watch and enjoy but deprive those pigs in the comment section any of my attention.
Fun fact about America: Our entire existence is predicated on NOT GIVING A F–K ABOUT ROYALTY. It just blows my mind that, almost 250 years later, some salty-ass Brits still struggle with that.
There is a fundamental lack of understanding on Salty Isle that positive American interest in the British royal family begins and ends with Diana, Harry, and Meghan.
And Even though Kate walks in front of William no mention by bots of her not following protocol.
Me neither Equality and Taytanish. The amount of hate Meghan receives is terrible!🤬
@NLopez
The amt of hate M receives is equivalent to the deep envy, jealousy and sense of inferiority of these same haters who suffer in the silence & torment of their own miserable lives.
So I coose to focus on THAT part of this phenom and point and laugh at the huge sense of satisfaction it gives to know that such low-lifes are writhing in their own hell on earth.
Don’t let them get you down, Equality. Just watch the video and ignore the comments. And it’s just so pathetic at this point because you know, 100% if this were the Wailses those same people would be crowing about what a gentleman he is and cooing about how sweet and romantic it is that after so many years he still treats her so well.
So don’t pay the trolls any mind. They’re jealous of Harry and Meghan’s love and connection and they probably sense on some unconscious level that the other two are headed from Salty Isle to Divorce Isle any time now.
Thanks Kingston. You made some good points!
Trolls aren’t the military that these programs are helping. All they’re doing is adding clicks to a news station’s story.
You’re so right — YouTube comments are often a cesspool. But if you add to the view count of that video, you’ll help counter the nastiness with your support.
@Equality, definitely watch and like and skip the comments. Otherwise the YouTube algorithm will bury the video which of course is what the people paying for the bots and trolls want. Proof again that its not a bunch of randoms behind the hate, its a sophisticated strategy.
Good points. I’ll go back and watch it a few more times.
There are comments you YouTube videos? Huh. Whadda ya know?
Of course they would (rolls eyes). Mind you in a lot of formal events the “more important” people come in LAST. But it’s obvious they were just going with the flow.
People have weird ideas about “royal protocol”. I remember back when the Obamas visited the then-Cambridges (George was a wee lad). A few people got very exercised in the comments that the Obamas didn’t bow/curtsey (no doubt “because they’re royal”).
One – the Obamas outranked the Cambridges as a Head of State and First Lady.
Two – we kind of don’t roll that way in the USA.
The whole “royal protocol” thing often just gets employed as a stick with which to beat someone you don’t like, especially among the random commentariat/tabloid press.
Always amazing to see these two engage with others!
Meghan is such a stunning woman… sometimes I look at her and I am just stunned by her beauty. I imagine it must be difficult for people not to stare at her! I think Angelina Jolie and the late Liz Taylor are the two other women who also get such attention no matter what…
I wonder what they would be doing for Veterans Day.
Dignified.
Harry and Meghan have always just been about doing the work.
Meghan & Harry are naturals, totally at ease around everyone. No cringe, no waiting in the car, just two people that love what they do.
Love it. Staying true to their hearts. Harry’s focus on military families will never go away. And the sleek ponytail is gorgeous. And the poppy sweater is sweet.
Always love seeing these two together, both evidently glowing! What a lovely and dignified thing to do. So many veterans will benefit directly from this facility.
Navy wife here living in San Diego. THIS is pretty awesome and gets to the heart of the challenges military families face! Far more meaningful than dressing in camouflage and jeggings and playing military for photo ops!!
This!
R.S. Locke posted on Twitter that the new facility will double the number of veterans the program is able to serve!
I was so excited to see the pics and videos last night. It shouldn’t be surprising since good people can sense Harry and Meghan’s dedication and authenticity but I love how American service members, veterans, and their families have embraced them both. It’s such a lovely partnership. And while I’m sad UK soldiers and veterans are missing out on all that Harry has to offer them, I’m glad the Sussexes have found a way to continue this important work here in the US.
And also, as Kaiser said, king Chuckles is absolute trash for removing Harry’s wreath and denying the laying of his wreath the year before. Vile. It still is shocking to me (but I guess not really) that the Leftover Royals are such a$$holes that none of them supported the UK veterans participating in the Invictus Games! And then they want to strap on their fake medals and do their camo cosplay. It’s so disgusting and shameful.
I love how Harry honors Veterans Day here in the U.S. (and the respect the U.S. shows him) It’s a shame how he was treated in the U.K. by the RF. I will never get over how the RF wouldn’t let anyone lay his wreath for Remembrance Day. That was cruel.
I appreciate this so much about Harry. Let’s pretend Willnot was “exiled”, does anyone really believe he would be doing even a tiny bit of philanthropic work? We would never see his giant buck teeth in any sort of a service role again.
Harry and Meghan 100% don’t need to do anything but live their lives, but they CHOOSE to still support the people and causes they believe in. I will never understand why anyone hates them, they could sit at home all day long and roll in their money, never to be seen publicly again, and I honestly wouldn’t blame them, after the shit show Salty Isle has turned their lives into.
This is how to spend Veterans Day (or Remembrance Day) – actually doing something that benefits veterans.
That suit on Meghan is perfection, she looks like she is aging backwards.
H&M are always so dignified and respectful. I teared up a bit at how Harry continues to honor veterans, even here in the US.
Work, work, work, and not just a photo op! The truth of the matter is Harry and Meghan would be doing these events if there were no cameras. Also, they understand that charity work is done better if you partner with an established organization that knows what they are doing. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.
Beautiful, just beautiful!
Just gonna say again how much I love having them stateside. It’s such an interesting model of philanthropy that we don’t really have here, people whose entire roll is public service and raising awareness. No shortage of billionaires in California but I can’t think of very many who actively engage with their philanthropic endeavors.
Others do it behind the scenes
It amuses me that salty brits who are in denial that H&M hv truly left Salt Isle in their rearview, still grasp and hang on for dear life to everythibg they do and declare it as “royal.”
LMFAO
This is very beautiful ❤ thanks for keeping our country safe ❤ shout out to VETERANS everywhere❤
Did I hear that right – did the reporter actually refer to them as the PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF SUSSEX when intoducing that segment of the event? 😂😂 I can hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth from across the pond and from the derangers. Anyway, well done and thank you Harry and Meghan/Archewell! Its good to see that they are appreciated. Now, what shenanigans will the rivaling palaces engage in to compete?
Chantal, He introduced them as The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and then went on and stated Prince Harry and Meghan.
@Saucy&Sassy. The Fox news reporter referred to them as the Prince and Princess of Sussex as he introduced the segment that the station was about to play. The man at the venue with the Sussexes introduced them correctly as you stated.
You heard it right and I thought the exact same thing. He did later say Duke and Dutchess. I also loved how he specifically mentioned Archwell and their commitment to mental health.
Yes, I am sure that the station has received a lot of snippy correction on that front! I could feel the wave of angry emails from pedants and derangers being composed.
Tom Sykes recently that Meghan and Harry rarely appear jointly.
Sykes is clearly trying to spread an untrue rumor.
Tom Sykes recently wrote that Meghan and Harry rarely appear jointly.
Sykes is clearly trying to spread an untrue rumor.
There was a lovely video on Twitter taken by a man whose family was chatting with H&M at the military base — the man was so excited. It was delightful.
H&M are genuinely good and caring people. Britain’s loss really is our gain.
I saw this video yesterday also, it was very cute 😊. He was excited his family got to meet HM at Camp Pendleton.
I saw the same video or similar video. It was especially cute when the families cute little boy ran over to them. The grandma said that Meghan was asking about hime.
The only problem with them doing this visit ahead of the ceremony in the UK is that Kate is going to cosplay as Meghan for at least one event.
I sure hope so for the veterans sake that she appears at a veteran centered event looking professional with neat hair and appropriate expressions (no hyena grins, etc). But she’ll cosplay as best she can but somehow screw up the execution anyway.
Have to agree with this – Meg looked very low key and professional for this event.
(Kate already has a black suit, I’m sure. It’s one of those universal things for a woman in public life.)
Camilla did give her best horse smiles at the Field of Remembrance so Kate would fit right in with some hyena grins.
This was really nice to see and there’s a lot of posts on SM yesterday. I thought it’s really cool how they have supported veterans – One of the US military personnel who was being interviewed was very appreciative that HM were there for the opening of the facility . Also, Meghan has been supporting our veterans and has done USO tours abroad way before she met PH. And of course H has bravely served his country. I don’t think the BM can spin this with negativity. Considering it is also Veteran’s Day this week here in the US.
Even though the opening of this new center is a happy event (it will double the number of veterans the program can serve) the Daily Mail commentators are skewering Meghan for smiling.
@artfossil- I guess leave it to DM where they can find a way to put negativity on a positive event – that’s also another reason why I haven’t clicked on DM links. The commentators on that site are really a miserable lot. If she didn’t smile they prob would have complained as well. They’re Totally deranged or paid trolls.
In either case the US military/veterans and their families were very appreciative of their support and that’s what matters.
What the what? They’re skewering Meghan for genuinely smiling at a positive event. In all honesty, I don’t expect them to be more than the idiots they are. Not shocking. It’s like anyone griping about Meghan wearing a poppy. It is not unique to the UK. We donate every year to the poppy fundraiser. lol at the clueless Our poppy fundraiser/wearing of the poppies is Memorial Day Weekend. We have one customer who wears a poppy every day. About 5 years ago, I asked him if I missed Poppy Day. He was very graceful with his response. He said every day is Poppy Day for him. He remembers.
https://www.legion-aux.org/national-poppy-day#:~:text=The%20red%20poppy%20is%20a,veterans%20while%20protecting%20our%20freedoms.
The PEOPLE magazine article was surprisingly good. It repeatedly referred and documented Prince Harry’s prior military service (quoting from royal websites and statements lol).
In addition to serving alongside Americans in Afghanistan and creating the Invictus Games that the US has competed in regularly for the past decade I think Harry having attended the Warrior Games, USO events, and fundraisers for US veterans multiple times over the years has endeared him to many in the US military community. Royalists are all up in arms about why he is still so well received even though he’s no longer a working royal but the answer is because he has done all of the things i listed above while the welfare royals have not. It’s similar to how Harry is so loved in the Commonwealth countries he was sent to visit that WanK didn’t want to go to. Showing up matters. (It also doesn’t hurt that Meghan also went on USO tours visiting US military bases around the world before she met Harry and Archewell has given support to military charities as well).
Harry and Meghan’s service is universal and positive all the way around=I love seeing them do this type of work and promoting positive projects and charities to make a difference-May God continue to bless and keep the Sussex family safe from all evildoers.
WE DO NOT HAVE ROYAL PROTOCOLS IN AMERICA!
Harry always moves Meghan in front of him when they enter a space because that’s what a proper man concerned about your safety would do. He is her first level of security. How are you protecting the woman you’re with if she’s walking behind you? Much of the hatred directed towards Meghan when she’s with Harry comes from women and men who I don’t believe are in an intimate relationship, if they’re in a relationship at all.