The Duke of Sussex paid a poignant tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, in a personal letter secretly left at the National Memorial Arboretum on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.
Prince Harry, who now resides in Montecito in the US, asked a friend to discreetly leave the letter and a wreath of red poppies at the Burma Star Memorial in Staffordshire on Friday, as revealed by GB News.
The King and Queen were in attendance at the moving service, which saw a veteran salute his "brave King" during a reading.
However, it's understood that the note was placed at the memorial after Charles and Camilla left to avoid distracting from the service which honoured the sacrifice of Second World War heroes who fought and died in the Pacific and Far East.
In the lengthy letter, which the Duke addressed to the "Forgotten Army," he spoke about why the significant anniversary carried "an added layer of meaning".
"My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Pacific campaign," Harry wrote.
"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."
© Getty ImagesPhilip, who died aged 99 in 2021, was in 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.
VJ Day on 15 August marked the anniversary of Japan's surrender to the Allies following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, ending the six-year-long conflict.
Harry's letter in full
The start of the Duke's letter read: "On this 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we pause to remember the day the guns finally fell silent across the world, the true end of the Second World War.
"We also pause to recognise you, the men and women of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ whose courage and endurance in the Far East campaign were anything but forgettable.
"You faced an enemy determined to the last, fought in unforgiving terrain, and endured months, even years, far from home, in conditions most could scarcely imagine.
© PA"Your service in the jungles and mountains of Burma and beyond was marked by grit, unity, and sacrifice.
"It is because of that sacrifice that generations since, myself included, have been able to live in freedom.
"From the lessons of that bitter struggle came the understanding that even the fiercest of foes can, in time, become valued partners in peace.
"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."
© Getty ImagesAfter his words about Prince Philip, Harry added: "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 letter, headed with the Duke's cypher of a H under a crown, was signed "Harry", Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
