A wreath laid by Prince Harry on Remembrance Day has been removed from a display at the factory where the poppy commemorations are produced. The Poppy Factory 'got rid' of the Harry's wreath and another laid by his disgraced uncle Prince Andrew - however the wreaths from other prominent royals are still featured.
Located in Richmond, London, the factory was founded 100 years ago to make wreaths and poppies to commemorate armed forces members who died in battle. The decision is seen to be another sign of the Duke of Sussex being removed from royal life since he stepped down from his senior role and moved his family to the US.
It comes despite his 10 years of military services, which included two tours of Afghanistan with the Blues and Royals regiment. One of the wreaths removed from the display was laid by Harry at the Remembrance commemoration in 2019 - the last one he took part in, the Mirror reports.
A source at factory said: “Harry used to have his wreath on display in the centre’s old exhibiting area, but it isn’t any more. We’ve got rid of it – and all the duplicates we kept too.”
Wreaths from King Charles, the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Princes William and Edward can still be viewed by the public. The Poppy Factory and Buckingham Palace declined to say where Harry’s £1,000 wreath is now.
The bespoke designs are laid at the Cenotaph during the yearly Remembrance Sunday service. A new one is currently being created for the King to present at next week’s service.
Prince Andrew's wreath was also dumped by the factory. Duke of York, 62, was stripped of his military titles and removed from royal duties over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He last took part in the Remembrance Day service in 2019.
In 2020, Harry asked the Royal Family if a wreath could be laid on his behalf, however his request was denied. The Duke is set to release his tell-all memoir 'Spare' in January. The book - so named because of his “surplus” role in the Royal Family – promises “raw, unflinching honesty”.
This week, it was reported that the King is prepared to strip Harry and wife Meghan Markle of their titles if the memoir and their Netflix show in any way damage the royal family. Royal insider and author Tom Bower said: “He has made various threats and warned they will find themselves ostracised in a way they cannot believe.”
Charles is set to hand Princess Anne and Prince Edward new roles to stop Harry and Andrew standing in for him in times of absence. He reportedly wants to include them as “counsellors of state” to work on his behalf if he is abroad or unwell.
Representatives for the Duke of Sussex were approached for comment. Kensington Palace declined to comment. Sales of pre-booked Poppy Factory visits fund support for veterans with health conditions on their journey into employment.
A spokesperson for The Poppy Factory said: “The Poppy Factory underwent a complete redevelopment in 2020, including the creation of a new visitor centre, which has allowed us to bring the story of our factory community to life in our centenary year. The display of Royal wreaths in the visitor centre is unchanged since it was formally opened by Our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen Consort, in November 2021.
“We will make changes to the exhibition in due course, to reflect changes made to the wreaths following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We are proud of our continued role in creating and maintaining Remembrance wreaths for all working members of The Royal Family.”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
