Prince Harry has been headlining due to his explosive and intimate look at his and Meghan Markle’s story on Netflix. In ‘Harry & Meghan’, the couple has chronicled their story and experiences with the ‘Royal Family’ and their exit in 2020. They spoke on many aspects that made headlines in the media including the media’s unwarranted obsession with Meghan and her race, their dating life, and Markle’s experience in the Royal Family. In one of the episodes, Harry talked about his decade stint in the military.
Prince Harry was a part of the United Kingdom’s military. He was a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. From qualifying for the Regular Commissions Board to rising to the designation of a Captain, Harry has been committed to his mission to protect and serve his country. He was “a soldier first, and a royal second”. During and after his military service, the Duke of Sussex received several accolades and medals for his ten years of service in the military. What medals and honors have received for his military service?
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The Honors And Medals Prince Harry Received For His Military Service
For the Royal Family, it is not important to serve in the military. However, the former Royal Family member took the step to go to the frontline. Prince Harry has been deployed in Afghanistan. He has led operations and qualified to be a helicopter pilot during his tenure.
The journey started in 2006 after Harry qualified for the Regular Commissions Board, and went to ‘The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst’ for his training. After rigorous and demanding training, Harry joined the Blues and Royals.
Harry completed his Troop Leaders’ Course to be qualified for the Army officer designation. He learned the technical aspects and arm training during his course. In 2006, he led 11 soldiers in his Windsor regiment. Prince Harry was deployed in Afghanistan in 2008.He was qualified to pilot helicopters in 2010.
The ex-member of the Royal Family was recruited in Afghanistan again for a tour in Southern Afghanistan. The services ended in 2015. He has received three medals of honor which include the Afghanistan Operational Service Medal, and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal awarded during Queen Elizabeth II’s sixty years on the throne. During her procession in 2022, he received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. Prince Harry possessed military honors like Honorary Air Commandant at RAF Honington, Captain-General of Royal Marines, and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command.
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He Experienced What Other Members Could Not During His Military Service
After exiting the Royal Family, Prince Harry was stripped of all the laurels. Despite being an active military member and tackling the enemies in Afghanistan, he will not be able to don the uniform again. Even during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Prince Harry did not wear the uniform as he is not a working royal member, but later he was allowed to wear it during her vigil
In the documentary, they had footage of Harry and Meghan’s McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Air Force Base visit during 2021’s Veterans Day. During the episode, he talked about his service and forming a second family during his service. He said, “My ten years in the army, it gave me the lived experience that other members of my family wouldn’t have had. Two tours in Afghanistan, and flying Apache helicopters on a military base means that you grow up pretty fast. Jeez, I went to war twice. The people that I met and the lifelong friends made, that was my second family”.
Harry continued, “Working and living with normal people—and I fully appreciate that my life is not normal— certainly has an effect on you. The bubble within the bubble that I was brought up in got burst. Ultimately I’m so grateful for it, and that was all before I met Meghan”.
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