Meghan Markle's moving gesture for cemetery visit as Harry leaves powerful note

Harry and Meghan paid their respects at the LA National Cemetery (Image: www.leemorganphotography.com)

Having stepped down from their senior roles, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will no longer be included in large royal events.

Even if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been in the UK this weekend for Remembrance Sunday, it's unclear whether they would have joined the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Kate and William at a scaled-down service at The Cenotaph in London.

However the couple decided to mark the memorial day in their own way, sharing a number of photos of them laying a wreath at the Los Angeles National Cemetery.

While many have criticised the couple for taking a photographer along to their "personal" memorial, accusing them of turning the day into a "PR stunt", other fans were moved by their gesture.

Meghan picked flowers from the garden of their new home, where they are raising son Archie, and Harry wrote a moving message.

The couple lay flowers from their garden and Harry laid a wreath (Image: www.leemorganphotography.com)

The Duke, who served as Captain Wales in the British Army for a decade, laid a wreath at an obelisk in the cemetery inscribed with the words: "In Memory of the Men Who Offered Their Lives in Defense of Their Country".

On it, he had written: "To all those who have served, and are serving. Thank you."

The couple laid flowers on the grave of a man who had served in the Royal Canadian Artillery and placed another tribute on a grave of a member of the Royal Australian Air Force.

They wore face masks to the cemetery, only removing them when they were alone.

The Duke also wore a number of medals, including his Queen's Golden Jubilee medal, 2002, his 2008 Afghanistan Operational Service medal and his Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal from 2012.

Harry normally joins his family for London's ceremony (Image: www.leemorganphotography.com)

Good Morning Britain's Piers Morgan is among the people who have criticised the couple for their decision to share photos from their trip to the cemetery.

He slammed the couple for hiring a photographer, calling it a "distasteful PR stunt" that "stuck in his gullet".

His co-host Susanna Reid asked: "Why wouldn't he want to show his respect when he has such a strong connection?"

The Queen paid her respects during the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Piers replied: "Why do it with a photographer?"

"Because if you don't do it with a photographer, no one will know what you've done it!" argued Susanna.

"Oh please, do me a favour, he could have issued a statement," shot back Piers.

"They launched a PR stunt with a preferred photographer to take the attention away from the royals back in London... Because they felt thwarted."

Kate and Camilla followed social distancing rules during the service (Image: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

He later added: "They want their royal cake and they want to eat it.

There were reports that Harry had asked if a wreath could be laid on his behalf at the Cenotaph service, but was refused.

Harry, who served for 10 years in the military, including two tours of Afghanistan, first laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in 2009 when he was 25.

According to the Times, Harry is believed to be "deeply saddened" by the refusal, although the Queen was reportedly not made aware of her grandson's request.