What Did Prince Harry Do in the Military? His Career, Explained

This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Spare" by Prince Harry. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.

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What did Prince Harry do in the military? Why does Harry say it was the happiest time of his life?

Having a clear purpose in the military—and the anonymity of a callsign—helped him to focus his attention and forget about the hardships of royalty. In Spare, Harry recalls his highest points in the military.

We’ll explore Harry’s military career, starting with the sudden cancellation of his deployment to Iraq and ending with him founding the Invictus Games, a sports event for veterans.

Failed Deployment to Iraq

Harry attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 2005 to 2006. On April 12, 2006, he officially graduated from Sandhurst and became a Second Lieutenant in the British Army.

Harry’s unit was scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the following year, 2007. Upon learning that Iraqi fighters knew Harry was coming and had deemed him a priority target, the British military canceled his deployment, leaving Harry frustrated and depressed. But what did Prince Harry do in the military after his deployment was canceled?

(Shortform note: The decision to cancel Harry’s deployment was sudden and last-minute, which could further explain the frustration he felt at the decision. Less than a month before he was scheduled to leave for Iraq, the Ministry of Defence announced that Harry would still be going despite being a high-profile target.)

Training as a Forward Air Controller

Recognizing that the military was the only healthy outlet he’d found for his mental turmoil, he decided to speak to his commanding officer as soon as he got back to try to find a way into combat duty. The officer said that sending Harry to Iraq was out of the question after the threats he’d received from Iraqi fighters. However, he might be able to serve in Afghanistan instead as a forward air controller (FAC). Harry mentions that this seemed strange, as Afghanistan was a much hotter war zone than Iraq at the time, but he accepted the offer.

(Shortform note: Although Afghanistan was more dangerous than Iraq for an ordinary soldier, it was safer for Harry because nobody knew he was there. A coordinated media blackout hid the Prince’s whereabouts from Taliban fighters for over two months.)

As a FAC, he’d be helping to coordinate the air forces: organizing raids, evacuations, rescue missions, and so on. It was a prestigious role in high demand and a relatively safe one, since he wouldn’t be in combat personally.

(Shortform note: FACs have been employed in numerous wars, to great effect. They’re particularly important against enemies using guerilla tactics—such as the Taliban—to ensure that air strikes hit their elusive targets while avoiding friendly positions.)

Becoming a FAC required challenging training, which Harry undertook in secret—away from the press—and showed considerable aptitude for. Perhaps more importantly, he enjoyed doing it; he threw himself completely into the work, and in doing so earned the approval of his father Charles.

(Shortform note: Undertaking military training and service is something of a tradition for the Royal Family, which may explain why Charles approved of Harry’s success in this field. During World War II, even the future Queen Elizabeth II joined the armed forces, where she trained as a driver and mechanic. Unlike Harry’s military experience, the war ended before she could put her skills to use. However, it’s said that she frequently used the lessons she’d learned during wartime to lead with dignity, compassion, and strength during her 70-year reign.)

First Deployment to Afghanistan

After completing his training, Harry deployed to Afghanistan in late 2007. The base he served at was austere, with few lights and unreliable plumbing. Working as a FAC was often boring: Many hours could pass by without anything happening, with no need to call for strikes or guide planes into combat. He was also constantly covered in sand from head to toe.

However, in spite of all that, Harry says that he was happy in Afghanistan. He was finally doing important work, work that he’d chosen for himself, and he was good at it. Perhaps the most interesting part, to Harry, was that most of the people he spoke to only knew him by his callsign: Widow Six Seven. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t the center of attention, and he finally had a sense of what it was like to be just a normal person.

(Shortform note: Harry’s desire for normality and relative anonymity, and his resulting enjoyment of his time in Afghanistan despite the challenging conditions it brought, reflects a wider trend among famous people: Celebrities often say that they wish they could feel like normal people again. Being constantly in the public eye—and constantly subjected to public opinion—is devastating to the psyche, and it makes everyday experiences like going for a walk or going on a date almost impossible.)

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the media reported that Harry was in Afghanistan. Fearing that the news would put Harry and everyone near him in danger, the military recalled him after just 10 weeks.

Retraining as an Apache Gunner

Desperate to return to Afghanistan and do a full tour of duty, Harry spoke with a general, who suggested that Harry train as a helicopter pilot. Even if the Taliban got word that he was there, they had no air force, so they’d be unable to attack or identify him in the air.

Becoming a helicopter pilot would require a further two years of training, which Harry reluctantly agreed to. In September 2012, Harry—now a captain in the Army, and one of the few people in the world qualified to operate an Apache helicopter—went back to Afghanistan.

Harry served as an Apache gunner until January 2013, during which time he flew on six missions and killed 25 Taliban fighters. Harry adds that his first concern was always making sure that he was targeting combatants, not civilians, and that he had permission to engage. His commanding officer reviewed Harry’s actions after each mission and agreed that each kill was warranted.

During his exit interview in January, Harry said that knowing he’d killed 25 people didn’t bring him any great pleasure, but he didn’t feel remorse for it either.

The Invictus Games

At various charity and royal events throughout his adulthood, Harry had met combat veterans who now had to live with permanent injuries and disorders, both physical and mental. Now that he’d been to war himself, the hardships that veterans faced seemed more poignant to him than ever.

In March 2013, shortly after returning from his second tour in Afghanistan, Harry embarked on a brief tour of America. While there, he watched an event called the Warrior Games, where wounded and disabled veterans participated in various athletic competitions.

Inspired by seeing veterans like himself who were still able to live life to the fullest—who were able to overcome their injuries and illnesses to compete in the Games—Harry decided that he wanted to start a UK version of the contest. However, he wanted his version of the Warrior Games to be bigger: international competitors, comprehensive media coverage, and more awareness raised for the struggles that veterans face in their everyday lives.

With the support of both the public and the Royal Foundation (which oversees and funds royal charity projects), Harry’s dream came to fruition in September 2014 with the first Invictus Games. It was a hit: Thousands of people filled the stadium, while millions more watched on TV. Many members of the public thanked Harry for founding the Games, and numerous veterans said that watching the Games had given them inspiration and hope again.

What Did Prince Harry Do in the Military? His Career, Explained