Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Pearl Harbor on Veterans Day: ‘He was very respectful’

The Duke of Sussex served in the British Army for 10 years and completed two tours of Afghanistan.

Prince Harry made a surprise stop on Veterans Day.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, visited Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, last Friday afternoon, touring the USS Arizona Memorial, PEOPLE confirms. A somber site in American history books, the battleship was bombed by Japanese forces in December 1941. Over 1,100 crew members died in the attack, which drove the U.S. to enter World War II.

Harry visited the memorial in a personal capacity. The USS Arizona Memorial on the island of Oahu is a short flight from his home in Montecito, California, where he lives with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, son Archie, 3, and daughter Lilibet, 1.

“He kind of approached us,” Dan Conover, who was also touring the USS Arizona with his family on Friday, tells PEOPLE.

“I moved out of his way because he’s royalty, I figured I’d let him do his thing. He basically gave me a greeting,” Conover, 23, explains. “He was very respectful and courteous and nice. I moved out of his way, and he kind of patted me on the back and said, ‘You’re all good mate.’ It was a simple interaction, but he was very nice and courteous and respectful.”

The eyewitness added that there was an expert “who was basically explaining things to Prince Harry — ‘This is what happened on this day, how the USS Arizona, etc.’ “

The outing was likely emotional for Prince Harry, who served in the British Army for 10 years and completed two tours of Afghanistan. Before stepping back from his senior royal role, he held three honorary military titles — Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command.

November 11 is Veterans Day in the U.S., and Remembrance Day in the U.K. In honor of the solemn holidays, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a new photo and simple statement on their Archewell Foundation website. In the black and white snap, taken by their wedding photographer Chris Allerton, the couple faced military personnel, including a serviceman holding an American flag.

“On this Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, we honor service members across the world,” Harry and Meghan, 41, wrote. “These brave men and women, as well as their families, have made tremendous sacrifices and embody duty and service.”

“We are proud to work with so many organizations that support veterans and military families, including The Invictus Games Foundation, The Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, Scotty’s Little Soldiers and The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation. Today and every day, thank you for your service,” the statement wrapped.

Last year on Veterans Day, the couple paid a surprise visit to a New Jersey military base. At a luncheon for service members and their spouses at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Meghan and Harry discussed topics like mental health and the importance of community.

The stop in N.J. came one day after attending the 2021 Salute to Freedom gala at the Intrepid Museum in New York City. In prepared remarks at the gala, Prince Harry discussed the isolation service members often feel when returning home and stressed the importance of supporting veterans.

“My experience in the military made me who I am today, and I will always be grateful for the people I got to serve with — wherever in the world we were,” said Harry. “But in war, you also see and experience things you hope no one else has to. These stay with us, sometimes like a slideshow of images.”

Harry said that he created the Invictus Games “to honor the legacy of those who have given so much” as well as to show “that the men and women who have experienced service injuries, as well as their families, are the strongest people in the world…and they deserve a platform to be seen, a platform to be recognized, and a platform to be truly celebrated.”

The prince went on to welcome the 2021 Intrepid Valor Award honorees, who he said “are part of an everlasting bond. You are part of the team of teams. And we will always have your backs. You are not alone.”

Source: People.com