Prince Harry, Meghan Markle criticised for using Remembrance Day as 'PR opportunity'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Remembrance Day visit to Los Angeles cemetery is deemed a "publicity stunt" by royal experts. The backlash was prompted after it was reported that Prince Harry was deeply saddened because Buckingham Palace refused his request for a wreath to be laid on his behalf.

The Sunday Times broke the news that the Duke of Sussex had requested his family back home to lay a wreath on his behalf at the Cenotaph, where the British royal family attend the traditional Remembrance Day service each year. He was reportedly denied the request by the "courtiers on the grounds that he is no longer representing monarchy."

It is believed that Prince Harry was disheartened because wreath-laying holds a special place in his heart. He has been participating in the service honouring the martyrs for more than 10 years. As per the report, he first laid a wreath on Remembrance Sunday when he was just 25. He has served in the armed forces for more than 10 years. Unfortunately, his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II was not informed about her grandson's wishes.

Therefore, Harry and his wife Meghan Markle decided to mark the event in their own private manner. The couple, who recently moved to California, privately visited the Los Angeles National Cemetery where they laid flowers that were picked by the duchess from their personal garden at their Santa Barbara home. They visited the graves of two Commonwealth soldiers and obelisk at the cemetery where the royal dad placed a wreath with a message, "To all of those who have served and are serving. Thank you."

The pictures from their visit to the cemetery emerged on the internet later and have received quite a reaction. The Sun notes that the images were captured by famous celebrity photographer Lee Morgan, who has worked with Kanye West and fashion magazine Vogue. This has apparently got them in trouble as "The Good Morning Britain host" Piers Morgan alleges that they used the occasions as a "PR opportunity."

"Just outrageous - treating Remembrance Sunday like a PR opportunity, & trying to steal headlines from the real royals doing their duty back home," Morgan wrote.

He went on to call their acts "PR stunts."

In another social media post, Morgan responded by saying, "If they wanted to be' 'left alone', they wouldn't do PR stunts every day to get media attention."

This prompted a conversation between those who agree with Morgan.

Nevertheless, there were many who were quick to defend Harry and Meghan. A source close to the Sussexes denied it was a "publicity stunt."

"If you listen to the podcast that he did at the weekend, he talks about wearing the poppy and wanting to recognise Remembrance Sunday, not only for all those people historically but also for the people he knew that he lost," an unnamed source close to Harry said. "I don't think that's someone who does something like Remembrance Sunday as a publicity stunt."

Back in the UK, the queen and the royal family attended a scaled-down version of Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph, London.