Following the death of Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, the United Kingdom entered a period of mourning and national reflection, commemorating her unprecedented seven decades on the throne. Crowds gathered near the Palace of Westminster and other royal sites, while members of the royal family participated in a sequence of ceremonies honoring her life and service.
During one of these events, Prince Harry appeared wearing a military uniform in recognition of his service, including two deployments to War in Afghanistan. Observers quickly noticed, however, that his uniform did not feature the “ER” cypher—short for Elizabeth Regina—traditionally worn by senior working royals in ceremonial military dress. The omission was tied to his decision to step back from official royal responsibilities and sparked wider public discussion about royal protocol, symbolism, and his evolving position within the monarchy.
What is the ‘ER’ cypher?
To understand why the removal of the “ER” cypher upset Prince Harry, it’s important to first grasp its significance. “ER”—or “EIIR”—was Queen Elizabeth II‘s Royal Cypher, standing for Elizabeth Regina, with “Regina” meaning “Queen” in Latin.
Each British monarch has a unique Royal Cypher, which is displayed on government buildings, Royal Family-related items, state documents, and even mailboxes throughout their reign. For 70 years, the British public became familiar with seeing “ER” everywhere. Now that Elizabeth II’s son, Charles III, has ascended the throne, the Royal Cypher will shift to “CR” and “CIIIR,” representing Charles Rex. In Latin, “Rex” translates to “King.”
The transition from “ER” to “CR” will be a gradual process.
King Charles III gave Prince Harry permission to wear his uniform
When Prince Harry withdrew from his role as a working member of the royal family in 2020 and moved to California with Meghan Markle, he gave up several honorary military appointments. Among the titles he surrendered were Captain General of the Royal Marines, Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington, and his position as a personal aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II.
At first, official ceremonial rules required Harry to wear a morning suit during the vigil at Westminster Hall instead of military attire. This contrasted with Prince William and other senior members of the royal family, who were authorized to appear in full military dress. The ruling drew major public attention and criticism, particularly because Prince Andrew was allowed to wear his vice-admiral uniform despite the many controversies surrounding him.
After the backlash got worse, reports indicated that King Charles III stepped in and approved an exception. As a result, Harry was allowed to wear his military uniform at the vigil in recognition of his military service and longstanding commitments.
The ‘ER’ cypher was removed from Prince Harry’s uniform
When Prince Harry joined Prince William and their cousins—Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, Lady Louise Windsor, James, Viscount Severn, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie—for a 15-minute vigil beside Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin on September 17, 2022, one detail stood out. Harry’s military uniform did not display the “ER” cypher, unlike the others. He did, however, wear his Afghanistan service medal as well as medals commemorating the Queen’s Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilees.
An insider told The Sunday Times that Harry was deeply upset by the missing cypher, especially because it remained on Prince William’s uniform. According to the insider, he was so affected by the decision that he considered wearing a morning suit instead of military dress for the vigil. The ceremony marked the first occasion Harry had worn a military uniform since 2020, and the source said the missing “ER” insignia on his shoulder left him feeling “devastated.”
“He is heartbroken,” the insider said. “To remove his grandmother’s initials feels very intentional.”
Was the snub actually intentional?
Many believe that the removal of the “ER” cypher from Prince Harry’s uniform was a deliberate insult, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. Traditionally, Queen Elizabeth II’s initials were worn only by those actively serving the British Monarchy.
According to the Royal Family’s dress code, working members who have served in the British Armed Forces must wear their uniforms during military events, such as state funerals, Remembrance ceremonies, and Trooping the Colour.
Prince Harry’s service in Afghanistan
Prince Harry served in the British Army for 10 years, enrolling in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in May 2005 with Alamein Company. He completed his officer training a year later and was commissioned as a Cornet in the Blue and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant two years later.
Following pressure from international media, the British Ministry of Defence revealed in February 2008 that Harry had been deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan as a Forward Air Controller, with later reports stating he’d assisted Gurkhas in repelling an attack by insurgents. He also performed patrols in hostile areas. Almost immediately after the announcement was made, Harry was pulled out of the area over fears for his safety and that of his comrades.
A year after graduating from the Defence Helicopter Flying School at Royal Air Force (RAF) Shawbury in May 2010, Harry was promoted to captain. A few months later, in October 2011, he was transferred to a US military base in California to participate in helicopter gunship training. He subsequently returned to the UK, where he became a certified Apache pilot.
In September 2012, Harry returned to Afghanistan, this time assigned to Camp Bastion as a co-pilot and gunner with 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps. Within days of his arrival, reports surfaced that threats had been made against his life. Following an attack on Camp Bastion that left two US Marines dead, he was moved to a safe location.
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Harry completed his 20-week deployment and, two years later, retired from the British Army. He has since called his service with the Armed Forces “the happiest times of my life,” and his experience in Afghanistan led him to establish the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for injured active-duty and veteran service members.