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Royals to forgo military gear at Philip’s funeral ‘to avoid embarrassing Harry’

Duke of Sussex faced being the only senior male royal not in uniform, despite serving in Afghanistan
Senior members of the royal family will not wear military uniform at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, in a break with tradition designed to avoid embarrassing Prince Harry, according to reports.
The Duke of Sussex, who lost his military titles after stepping down as a senior working royal, faced being the only senior male royal not in uniform, despite having served two tours in Afghanistan.
Protocol dictates that he should wear civilian dress, although he would be allowed to wear his medals.
The no-uniform rule would also quell an internal palace row over whether the Duke of York should be allowed to wear the uniform of an admiral to the funeral on Saturday.
Prince Andrew, who stepped back from public duties following the controversy over his friendship with the disgraced financial and sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, was due to be promoted to the rank of admiral in 2020 to mark his 60th birthday, but this did not go ahead following the fallout from his disastrous Newsnight appearance.
Buckingham Palace is expected to announce further details of the funeral later on Thursday, including about attire. But sources told the Sun the Queen had decided the simplest way was for all senior royals to wear civilian clothing – mourning dress for the men and black ties.
It was “the most eloquent solution to the problem”, a military source told the Sun.
Prince Andrew, 61, had reportedly ruffled feathers at Buckingham Palace by raising questions over which uniform he was entitled to wear. He had been made an honorary vice-admiral in the Royal Navy on his 55th birthday, and was due to be promoted, but offered to defer it until after he returned to public duties.
A source close to Andrew told the newspaper: “The Duke of York is very keenly aware of Saturday’s funeral being a moment for the Duke of Edinburgh, HM and the nation. He has neither wish nor intention to distract from that. Speculation on what he may or may not wear is just that, speculation, and no matters of this nature have yet been decided upon.
“The Duke of York will do what is appropriate to the circumstances – he remains stepped back from royal duties.”
On previous formal occasions, Harry, 36, has worn the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, his old army regiment, which he wore for his wedding. However, since relinquishing royal duties, he has been forced to give up his honorary military titles, including that of Captain General of the Royal Marines, a position formerly held by Prince Philip.
Andrew joined the Royal Navy in 1979 and served in the Falklands war as a helicopter pilot, completing his active naval career in 2001. Other senior royals, including Princess Anne, are entitled to wear the ceremonial uniforms of the honorary military ranks bestowed on them.
At a ceremonial royal funeral like Prince Philip’s, it has been traditional for uniforms to be worn. They were worn at the last ceremonial royal funeral, that of the Queen Mother. However, a no-uniform rule was adopted for the private family funeral of Princess Margaret, when mourning dress was worn, and for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, who was by then no longer an official member of the royal family.
The decision is a break with tradition for ceremonial royal funerals and will contrast with the strong military presence that will be on show to honour the duke, who served with distinction in the second world war.
source: Caroline Davies
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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