Early Military career
Prince Harry passed his Regular Commissions Board (RCB), the qualification necessary to train at Sandhurst, in September 2004.
The RCB enables senior Army assessors to find those best suited for training. The Board is demanding, and consists of a number of tests and tasks designed to assess mental, physical and emotional aptitude.
After completing a period of work experience, Prince Harry entered The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in May 2005 to begin his training as an Officer Cadet.
During the 44-week training course in Camberley, Surrey, Prince Harry was known as Officer Cadet Wales. The course is highly demanding and involves both theory and tough physical training.
On 25th January 2006, Clarence House announced that Prince Harry was to join the Blues and Royals.
Following the successful completion of the course, Prince Harry was commissioned as an Army officer on Wednesday, 12th April 2006. The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, took the salute at the Sovereign's Parade at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall also attended the Parade to see Prince Harry's Passing Out, as the commissioning is known. Prince William was also there as an officer cadet.
Prince Harry joined his regiment on 8th May 2006, before reporting to The Armour Centre at Bovington in Dorset to begin the Troop Leaders’ Course, his special-to-arm training to become an armoured reconnaissance troop leader. This second phase of his preparatory training included instruction in signals, driving and maintenance, and gunnery.
On completion of the Troop Leaders’ Course in October 2006, Prince Harry rejoined his regiment in Windsor, and was responsible for a troop of 11 soldiers and four Scimitar reconnaissance vehicles.
On 28th February 2008 The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Prince Harry had been serving with the British Army in Helmand, Afghanistan for more than two months.
At the time, Clarence House issued the following statement: "Prince Harry is very proud to serve his country on operations alongside his fellow soldiers and to do the job he has been trained for."
On 13th April 2008, Prince Harry was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals).
Army Air Corps
In December 2008, Prince Harry passed his Army Air Corps ‘Grading’ and Pilot’s Selection Board interview to begin training to become and Army Air Corps Pilot in January 2009. On successful completion of that Army Pilots Course, Prince Harry was selected to train on the Apache Attack Helicopter. On the same day, it was announced that Prince Harry received his provisional wings from his father, The Prince of Wales, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps (AAC).
Prince Harry has undertaken two operational tours of Afghanistan, as a Forward Air Controller in 2007/08 and as an Apache Pilot between September 2012 and January 2013.
During his time in the Army Air Corps he was assigned to 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment within 16 Air Assault Brigade and in July 2013, Prince Harry qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander.
He was promoted to the rank of Captain in April 2011, in recognition of time served in the Armed Forces and was also awarded his Apache Badge from the Officer in Command of his Squadron at the same time. The badge marked the completion of an eight-month Apache Conversion to Type Course.
Captain Harry Wales as he was known in the Military visited the United States of America in October 2011 to complete the final elements of the Apache Conversion to Role course where he learnt to operate the aircraft and its weapons systems in a variety of challenging operational scenarios.
Prince Harry qualified as a co-pilot gunner (CPG) in February 2012 and was posted to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, to gain further flying experience and to operate the aircraft on a number of exercises.
In September 2012, Prince Harry was deployed to Afghanistan, based in Camp Bastion in Helmand province to conduct operational tour as an Apache pilot.
He was working as part of the Joint Aviation Group (JAG) which provides helicopter support to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan forces operating throughout Regional Command (South West) and ended his four month tour in January 2013.
Supporting wounded servicemen and women
Prince Harry, who held the rank of Captain, took up a Staff Officer role in HQ London District as SO3 (Defence Engagement) in 2014, where he helped to co-ordinate significant projects and commemorative events involving the Army in London. This included organising the London 2014 Invictus Games, a four day sporting event to help wounded servicemen and women rediscover their fighting spirit through sport.
After the Games, Prince Harry's military role within HQ London District continued to focus on recovery capability. He worked alongside colleagues in London District's Personal Recovery Unit to ensure that those who are wounded, injured or sick have appropriate individual recovery plans and the necessary support they require.
As part of this role, he visited Recovery Centres around the country and various partner agencies involved in the MoD's Defence Recovery Capability initiative (including NHS and service charities) to learn about the existing policies and procedures from both those who are receiving and administering treatment.
In March 2015, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry was to leave the Armed Forces after a ten year military career.
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Before leaving operational service, Prince Harry spent four weeks in April and May 2015 seconded to the Australian Defence Force, where he was attached to various units to gain an appreciation of the Australian Army's domestic operating environment and capabilities. He spent time at Army Barracks in Darwin, Perth and Sydney where he took part in a range of unit-based activities, training exercises and domestic deployments.
Prince Harry continues to work with the Personal Recovery Unit as a volunteer, having left the Army.
