Prince Harry’s days with the British military are coming to an end. As part of the deal he and Meghan Markle struck with the Queen that will allow them to live in North America and step down from senior royal duties, Harry will give up all his honorary military appointments for at least a year—though the statement announcing the change also mentioned that “given his dedication to the military community and ten years of service he will of course continue his unwavering support to the military community in a non-official capacity.”
That support was on clear display on Saturday night in London at the Mountbatten Music Festival, a fundraiser for the Royal Marines Association, where he wore his formal red military uniform for what might be the last time in public, and Meghan matched him in a caped gown by Safiyaa, with Stuart Weitzman pumps and a Manolo Blahnik clutch. The Royal Marines officer’s mess jacket is a formal version of what has become a familiar sight even for casual royal watchers. Harry and William both wore the red “Blues and Royals” uniform for William’s 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton, and William and Prince Andrew and Prince Charles have often worn it at Trooping the Colour and other official royal family events. (Harry has often opted for the black version, including for his 2018 wedding, which makes his decision to wear red on Saturday all the more striking.)
Harry’s association with the military is already set to continue even after he and Meghan officially depart at the end of March; May’s Invictus Games at the Hague, where wounded servicemen and women will compete in athletic events, might be the first major engagement for Harry as a non-working royal. But it is fascinating to see Harry, at one of the final public events before his life changes, embracing a uniform that symbolizes so much of what he’s about to lose. As a military veteran, he will be entitled at future events to wear his medals, but not his uniform, according to the Telegraph.
So if is the last chance Meghan will have to match Harry in a formal red look of her own, she certainly made the most of it. The couple, who already found their way to one dazzling photo op this week, were a striking pair as they made their way into the Royal Albert Hall, where the BBC reports they received a standing ovation as they took their seats.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
— How a teenager uncovered Belgium’s royal scandal
— Oscars 2020: All the best-dressed stars on the red carpet
— The dangers of flying rich and flying private
— What this year’s nominees wore to their first Oscars
— Harry and Meghan are lying low—but not for long
— Can Princess Beatrice’s wedding solve the royal family crisis?
— From the Archive: The women of Palm Beach
Looking for more? Sign up for our daily newsletter and never miss a story.