Prince Harry was blasted for his “PR stunt” on VJ Day, with one royal expert accusing him of trying to “upstage” Prince William and Princess Kate. The King led the royals as the nation commemorated the 80th anniversary of VJ Day last Friday during the national service or remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum.

The Prince and Princess of Wales did not attend the ceremony, while the Duke of Suss3x left a wreath and a note at the Burma Star Memorial. Harry paid a poignant tribute to his late grandfather, Prince Philip, in the letter, which was placed after Charles and Camilla left to avoid distracting from the service.

But a group of royal commentators blasted him for the move, dubbing it an “obvious PR stunt”.

Prince Harry laid a wreath with a note on VJ Day (Image: PA)

The Prince and Princess of Wales did not attend the national service of remembrance (Image: Getty)
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Harry was accused of trying to “upstage” Prince William and Princess Kate, who were not there, by The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson, who said: “A cynic might argue that Prince Harry maybe saw that as an opportunity to leave a letter there.”

Meanwhile, royal author Robert Jobson said: “It was obviously a PR stunt. Bottom line is, if you didn’t want it to be a PR stunt, just leave it there.

“Somebody would see it. It would get passed to the press eventually. It was a little bit too slick. It was part of Operation Rebuild Harry.

“The King was there. It was incredibly emotional. You could see the tears in Camilla’s eyes. It was the King’s day. The Prince and Princess of Wales absolutely should have been there. ”

Mr Jobson argued that Prince Philip would not have liked a tribute to him as the day was not about himself.

The King and Queen looking visibly moved during the 80th anniversary of VJ Day (Image: PA)

He told the outlet: “A lot of people respected Harry for the Invictus Games, for his own service.

“You don’t need to do stunts. I can almost hear the derision coming out of the Duke of Edinburgh’s mouth. The [late] Duke was a serviceman. It wasn’t about himself.

“Harry was advised by his father to think very carefully about what he does. You make your bed, you lie in it.”

In his heartfelt letter, addressed to the “Forgotten Army, “the Duke of Suss3x wrote: “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.

“Today, as I think of him, I think also of each of you, of the shared hardships, the bonds forged, and the legacy you leave.”

The late duke, who died aged 99 in 2021, served in the Royal Navy during World War 2. He took part in the Battle of Cape Matapan, the Battle of Crete and the invasion of Sicily, while he was also at Tokyo Bay on board the destroyer HMS Whelp, a warship he served on as second-in-command, when Japanese officials formally signed the surrender on the USS Missouri.

Elsewhere in the letter, Harry wrote: “Today, as both our nations mark this anniversary, we acknowledge the respect earned, the lives lost and the enduring friendship that has since taken root.”

“I am humbled by your example, proud of your service and dedication, and profoundly grateful for what you endured. Your story is part of our shared heritage, and it must never be forgotten. With the deepest respect, thank you.”

The King, who previously spoke publicly about his father’s wartime role on the 75th anniversary in 2020, made no mention of Philip in his audio address to the nation on Friday morning.

But he did pay tribute to his mentor and great uncle, Earl Mountbatten, who oversaw the defeat of the Japanese offensive towards India as Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command.