đ¨ JUST HAPPENED â Prince Harry Quietly Visits Arlington Cemetery Four Months After King Charles, but the Timing Is Raising Questions…
Prior to the shocking news about his decision to move his family back to the U.K. , the Duke of Sussex made several meaningful visits in Washington, D.C.
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Prince Harry at Arlington in August 2026; King Charles at Arlington in April 2026.Credit :Â Lindsay Hart for The Office of The Duke of Sussex; Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty
Before returning to the U.K., Prince Harry made a couple of meaningful visits in the U.S.
On Wednesday, Aug. 19, PEOPLE exclusively revealed that Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are relocating their family to the U.K. for an extended period beginning this month. Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are set to begin school there in September.
The same day the news went public, Harry, 41, made four significant stops in Washington, D. C. He first visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), the U.S.âs top military hospital, where he met recovering service members and medical staff. He held a roundtable discussion with wounded service members and learned more about the technological advances being used to aid in rehabilitation.
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Prince Harry meets with military veterans at Walter Reed National Military Hospital.Lindsay Hart for The Office of The Duke of Sussex
The Duke of Sussex also learned about how WRNMMC uses a sports-medicine model to support service members living with limb loss, polytrauma and other severe injuries, with the goal of helping them return to active duty or achieve greater functional independence.
Combining sports and recovery for military veterans is of particular interest to Harry, who founded the Invictus Games, an international multi-sport event for wounded, injured and sick military service personnel, in 2014.
Following his time at Walter Reed, Harry traveled to Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to fallen U.S. service members. He witnessed a guard change and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was created in 1921 and is dedicated to unidentified Americans who have died in war.
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Prince Harry lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.Lindsay Hart for The Office of The Duke of Sussex
He then met with four Gold Star families, learning about the lives and service of their loved ones and visiting their graves. Harry also spent time with the wife of Army Sergeant Michael Verardo, who survived two IED attacks in Afghanistan in 2010. He was left with catastrophic injuries, but became a powerful advocate for wounded veterans, caregivers and military families before his death in August 2025 due to complications with his injuries.
Prince Harry next attended a roundtable discussion organized by The Independence Fund, which brought together wounded service members, veterans, adaptive athletes and advocates for a conversation about what comes after military service and how adaptive sport can support long-term recovery.
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Prince Harry attends a roundtable convened by The Independence Fund, which brought together wounded service members, veterans, adaptive athletes and advocates for a conversation about what comes after military service.Lindsay Hart for The Office of The Duke of Sussex
He finished his day with a visit to the Washington VA Medical Center, where he toured the Community Living Center and spent time with older veterans in residence, learning how the flagship facility provides them top access to physical therapy, radiation, oncology, womenâs health services and more.
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Prince Harry meets with veterans at Walter Reed National Military Hospital.Lindsay Hart for The Office of The Duke of Sussex
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Prince Harryâs visit comes just a few months after King Charles and Queen Camilla visited Arlington on the final day of their U.S. tour in late April.
After saying goodbye to President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump in Washington, D.C. on April 30, the royal couple traveled to the cemetery to honor the long-standing military relationship between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Like Harry, they also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla present a bouquet of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on April 30, 2026.Heather Diehl/Getty
As monarch, King Charles is the Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces. He served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976, qualifying as a helicopter pilot and commanding the coastal minehunter HMS Bronington.
Sir Christian Turner, the Kingâs Ambassador to the United States, said, âOur shared defense and intelligence relationship has made both our nations safer for over a century. We have trained together, fought together and died together in defence of our shared values. We honor the fallen together.â
Prince Harryâs visit came just ahead of the news that he and Meghan are returning to the U.K., which PEOPLE confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 29.
King Charles was made aware of the coupleâs plans on Sunday, August 16, PEOPLE understands, and welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity.
However, the King is said to have been clear that there will be no change to the Duke and Duchess of Sussexâs status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family, in keeping with the wishes they expressed and the agreement reached with the late Queen Elizabeth when they initially stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
SOURCE: https://people.com/prince-harry-quietly-visits-arlington-cemetery-months-after-king-charles-12065440