Prince Harry is being accused of trying to “upstage” Prince William and Kate Middleton with a “cynical PR stunt.”
The accusations came after Harry—who is estranged from William, Kate and his father King Charles—sent a wreath and a handwritten letter to be placed in honor of his grandfather, Prince Philip, at the Burma Star Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in London on September 2025. The service, which was held on VJ Day, honored the “Forgotten Army,” who fought in the Pacific during World War II. many members of the british royal family, including Charles and his wife Queen Camilla, were also at the event.
“For me, this anniversary carries an added layer of meaning. My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Pacific campaign. He spoke with quiet humility about those years, but I know how deeply he respected all who stood beside him in that theatre of war,” Harry wrote in the letter.
He continued, “Your story is part of our shared heritage, and it must never be forgotten. With the deepest respect, thank you.” While the note was heartfelt, royal experts questioned its timing. One source said the move felt “far too polished to be genuine.”
Weeks later, Harry is accused of using the memorial as a “PR play” to earn positive press. “Harry’s move was no accident. Arriving after the King had gone made it seem respectful on the surface – but the timing, the note, and the perfectly staged photos made it obvious it was a PR play. People in the palace were livid. It was meant to be the King’s moment of remembrance, yet Harry managed to turn the spotlight back on himself,” a source told Radar Online in October 2025.
The insider continued, “If this wasn’t a PR stunt, Harry could have laid the note quietly and walked away. But the fact it was captured and shared so neatly tells you everything you need to know.”
Another source told the site that Harry’s move “caught everyone off guard. as “no one had Harry on the schedule.” The insider continued, “The event had been planned for months, with the King and Camilla front and center. For Harry to appear afterward, conveniently with cameras waiting, felt very deliberate and carefully orchestrated.”
The insider also accused Harry of trying to steal the “spotlight” from William and Kate, whose health is still recovering after battling cancer earlier in 2025. “Everyone knows Kate is still easing back into things and prioritizing her recovery and family. William fully backs her on that. But some people saw Harry’s gesture as a way of stepping into the spotlight – a reminder that he still wants to be noticed,” the insider said.
Another source also added how Philip would have felt, “Philip was a serviceman. He never made things about himself. He’d have thought Harry’s letter was self-indulgent.”
As for Charles’ opinion, a source added that the king was “deeply frustrated” by Harry’s move. “Charles intended the day to honor the veterans and the nation’s remembrance,” the insider said. “But once again, it turned into a story about family tensions. It was exactly the kind of distraction he doesn’t need.”