3-84

84.

The Palace announced that a review had been conducted of our roles, and of the agreement

reached in Sandringham.

Henceforth, we were stripped of everything but a few patronages.

February 2021.

They took it all away, I thought, even my military associations. I’d no longer be captain

general of the Royal Marines, a title handed down by my grandfather. I’d no longer be permitted

to wear my ceremonial military uniform.

I told myself they could never take away my real uniform, or my real military status. But still.

Furthermore, the statement continued, we’d no longer be doing any service whatsoever¹ for the

Queen.

They made it sound as if there’d been an agreement between us. There was nothing of the sort.

We pushed back in our own statement, released the same day, saying we’d never cease living a

life of service.

This new slap-down from the Palace was like petrol on a bonfire. We’d been under media

attack non-stop since leaving, but this official severing² of ties set off a new wave, which felt

different. We were vilified³ every day, every hour, on social media, and found ourselves the

subjects of scurrilous⁴, wholly fictional⁵ stories in the newspapers, stories always attributed to “royal

aides” or “royal insiders” or “palace sources,” stories clearly spoon-fed by Palace staff—and

presumably sanctioned by my family.

I didn’t read any of it, seldom even heard about it. I was now avoiding the internet as I once

avoided downtown Garmsir. I kept my phone on silent. Not even vibrate. Sometimes a well-

meaning friend would text: Gosh, sorry about such and such. We had to ask such friends, all

friends, to stop informing us what they’d read.

In all honesty, I hadn’t been totally surprised when the Palace cut ties. I’d had a sneak⁶ preview

months earlier. Just before Remembrance Day I’d asked the Palace if someone could lay a wreath

for me at the Cenotaph, since, of course, I couldn’t be there.

Request denied.

In that case, I said, could a wreath be laid somewhere else in Britain on my behalf?

Request denied.

In that case, I said, perhaps a wreath could be laid somewhere in the Commonwealth⁷,

anywhere at all, on my behalf?

Request denied.

Nowhere in the world would any proxy⁸ be permitted to lay any sort of wreath at any military

grave on behalf of Prince Harry⁹, I was told.

I pleaded that this would be the first time I’d let a Remembrance Day pass without paying

tribute to the fallen, some of whom had been dear friends.

Request denied.

In the end I rang one of my old instructors¹⁰ at Sandhurst and asked him to lay my wreath for

me. He suggested the Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial, in London, which had just been unveiled a

few years earlier.

By Granny.

Yes. That’s perfect. Thank you.

He said it would be his honor.

Then added: And by the by, Captain Wales. Fuck this. It’s proper wrong.

1 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

2 severing   

v.切断，断绝( sever的现在分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The death of a second parent is like severing an umbilical cord to our past. 父母当中第二个人去世，就象斩断了把我们同过去联在一起的纽带。 来自辞典例句
• The severing theory and severing method for brittle block are studied. 研究裂纹技术应用于分离脆性块体的分离理论和分离方法。 来自互联网

3 vilified   

v.中伤，诽谤( vilify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was vilified in newspapers. 他在报纸上受到了诽谤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She was vilified by the press for her controversial views. 因她持有异议，新闻界对她横加挞伐。 来自互联网

4 scurrilous   

adj.下流的，恶意诽谤的

参考例句：

• Scurrilous and untrue stories were being invented.有人正在捏造虚假诽谤的故事。
• She was often quite scurrilous in her references to me.她一提起我,常常骂骂咧咧的。

5 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

6 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

7 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

8 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

9 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

10 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。