Prince Harry’s army friend spoke out after Buckingham Palace announced that the Duke of Sussex will not be returning as a working member of the British Royal Family.
The palace said the 36-year-old’s appointment as Captain General of the Royal Marines and titles with other military groups would revert to the Queen before being handed out to other members of the family.
Harry was stripped of the titles Honorary Air Commander of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving for the Royal Navy, Newsweek reported.
The prince, who served in the British Army for ten years and has a close relationship with the military, founded the Invictus Games competition for wounded troops.
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“He was very passionate about what he has done,” Martyn Compton told ITV’s “Lorraine” on Thursday. ‘It has clearly served its time. So everyone who served time deserves what they got, you know? And to have that taken away – it’s going to be a huge trial for him. It’s a great thing he has done. And personally, it’s just – hopefully it’s worth it to him. “
Compton is a former British soldier of the Household Cavalry Regiment who was injured after an RPG set his vehicle on fire by a Taliban in Afghanistan, the British DailyMail reported. He was also shot twice in the leg trying to escape from the burning wreckage. Compton was hospitalized for a year after burning 75 percent of his body.
Compton first met Harry in 2006, just before going to Afghanistan. They have been friends for 15 years.
“He was just a genuinely nice guy,” Compton recalled the first meeting with the Duke. He never wanted special treatment. He was just one of the boys. He’s just a normal boy. He does a lot of military charities … He’s just a caring, normal man who just happens to be a royal. And he supported me.in several charities and ventures that I have done … [This] is a great trial for him to be able to do that – but clearly he provides for his family. “
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Prince Harry speaks to Martyn Compton, a former British soldier of the Household Cavalry Regiment who was injured after an RPG set fire to his vehicle in Afghanistan, at Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch in aid of the ABF The Soldiers Charity at The Guildhall on April 7, 2016, in London, England.
(Photo by Alastair Grant – WPA Pool / Getty Images)
When asked if he believed Harry would have wanted a different outcome, Compton replied, “I guess the bottom line is that you can’t be a royal and make money out of it – and the royal family has said that’s why everything is happened. “
Compton also said he will be tuning into Harry’s upcoming sit-down with Oprah Winfrey.
“I’ll look at it out of interest in what has been said, but yes, it is going to be something big that comes out and there is clearly a reason why he did it himself,” he said. ‘He’s a really nice guy. And I’m sure he will do well for his family. ”
Harry currently lives in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their firstborn Archie. On Valentine’s Day, a spokesman for the couple told Fox News that they were expecting their second child.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their second child.
(Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage / Getty Images)
Last week, Buckingham Palace revealed Harry’s status as a working member of the royal family alongside Markle, 39.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty the Queen that they will not return as working members of the Royal Family,” the statement read.
“After discussions with The Duke, The Queen has confirmed in writing that it is not possible to continue in the work of the Royal Family, to carry on the responsibilities and duties associated with a life of public service,” the statement continued. “Although they are all saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much-loved members of the family.”
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed a son named Archie in 2019.
(Getty)
The decision came a year after Markle and Harry announced their plan to step down as senior members of the royal family. The couple, who recently announced that they are expecting their second child together, at the time agreed to a 12-month review of the decision.
It was created after the couple held talks with members of the royal family.
According to the palace, the military, Commonwealth and charity associations that will now return to Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, include the Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, The Rugby Football Union, The Rugby Football League, The Royal National Theater, and The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
In their January 2020 announcement to step down as senior members of the Royal Family, Markle and Harry discussed their intentions to operate independently and divide their time between the UK and North America.
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Prince Harry patrols the abandoned city of Garmisir in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on January 2, 2008.
(Photo by John Stillwell – POOL / Anwar Hussein Collection / WireImage / Getty Images)
At the time, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said their decision came “after many months of reflection and internal discussions.”
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“We have chosen to make a transition this year to get a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple shared on Instagram. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work towards becoming financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen. It is with your encouragement, especially in recent years, that we feel willing to make this adjustment.
“We now intend to balance our time between the UK and North America, continuing to honor our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth and our patrons,” they continued. “This geographic balance will allow us to raise our son in appreciation for the royal tradition in which he was born, while also giving our family the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charity. “
The pair added that they would continue to work with the reigning monarch, 94, as well as Harry’s father Prince Charles and older brother Prince William.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced in 2019 that they would be stepping back as senior members of the British Royal Family.
(Getty)
“We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course as we continue to work with Her Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our thank you for your continued support. “
Markle and Harry welcomed a son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in May 2019. The baby’s arrival came a year after the couple tied the knot at a televised royal ceremony in May 2018.
They recently announced that they will be speaking with Winfrey, 67, in a TV special airing next month.
A spokesman for the couple said in a statement that “ as evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the UK and the rest of the world, and their continued support to the organizations they have represented, regardless of official role. We can all live lives of service. Service is universal. “
Melissa Roberto and The Associated Press of Fox News contributed to this report.