How Prince Harry Quietly Marked Queen Elizabeth’s Milestone Birthday Away from the Spotlight
As the royal family marked the milestone in public, Prince Harry kept things low-key with a private tribute to Queen Elizabeth.
As the royal family came together to celebrate what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday grandly, Prince Harry marked the moment far more quietly. He was not part of the public ceremonies in the UK, but he still found a meaningful way to honor his grandmother. Instead of making a public appearance, Harry reportedly arranged for flowers to be laid at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, where she was buried in September 2022.
Town & Country confirmed earlier that the Duke of Sussex paid tribute to the late Queen from afar, from his home in Montecito, California. For Harry, remembering his grandmother has rarely been about public gestures. He has made a habit of keeping those moments quiet and personal. During a trip back to the UK in 2023, he took time to visit her resting place around the first anniversary of her passing. He did the same in 2025 as well, returning once again to mark the third year since her death.
That consistency says a lot about how much she meant to him. After she passed away in 2022, Harry shared an emotional message on the Archewell Foundation website. He talked about how she was a steady presence for so many people and was admired around the world for her lifelong commitment to duty. He wrote, “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings — from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.”
The final moments he shared with Queen Elizabeth stayed with Harry long after her passing, something he later opened up about in the epilogue of his memoir Spare. When Harry rushed to Balmoral after hearing her condition had worsened, the reality of the situation caught up with him mid-flight. He described, “I spent much of the flight staring at the clouds, replaying the last time I’d spoken with Granny. Granny was gone. Pa was King.”
Plans to honor the late Queen are going far beyond a single tribute, with a mix of major projects. The biggest tribute is a new national memorial planned for St James’s Park in London, featuring a bronze statue of her in her younger years. It is inspired by a 1950s portrait, and it will be alone in Garter robes, overlooking The Mall. The memorial will also include a separate statue of Prince Philip, along with a striking glass bridge inspired by her wedding tiara.
Furthermore, a new garden has been opened in Regent’s Park, complete with a subtle nod to her love of corgis. There is also a large-scale Buckingham Palace exhibition showcasing her fashion through the decades, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style. A digital memorial and Queen Elizabeth Trust charity have also been set up in her honor.
