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Prince Harry Military Service (merged thread)

thatoldfool

thatoldfool

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A good article about Prince Harry, third-in-line for the throne, graduating from Sandherst military academy, having finish his officer training:

news.scotsman.com

News | The Scotsman

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"Scotsman.com News
Wednesday, 12th April 2006
UK
Edinburgh Evening News Wed 12 Apr 2006

OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: Prince Harry can't hide a grin as his grandmother, the Queen, passes through the line of new officers.
Picture: Tim Ockenden/PA
One is very amused as Harry graduates from Sandhurst
LAURA ELSTON AND TONY JONES

PRINCE Harry marched in front of the Queen today as he graduated from the Sandhurst military academy as a commissioned officer in the Army.

The 21-year-old third in line to throne took part in the military college's historic Sovereign's Parade.

He was also watched by his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh, his proud father the Prince of Wales, stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall and brother Prince William.

Up to 447 cadets took part in the ceremony, including around 220 officer cadets who were passing out and receiving their commissions like Harry.

Following the ceremony, the Prince, who last week joined Army pals at a lapdancing club, now becomes a 2nd Lieutenant.

He is joining the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals where his rank is referred to as a Cornet.

He will serve in an armoured reconnaissance unit and train to become a troop commander, in charge of 11 men and four light tanks.

The Prince could be sent to serve on the frontline in Iraq or Afghanistan, with one senior Army figure saying today it was "eminently possible" he could be in a danger zone within 12 months.

Tradition dictates that the "pips" on Harry's shoulder - one star signalling his rank as 2nd Lieutenant - remain covered up until midnight at the Sandhurst ball this evening.

Prince William will be there, ready to rip off the tape when the clock strikes midnight.

Harry's girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, is also set to accompany him to the ball. The Prince paraded with the other officer cadets in his pristine uniform to the sound of a military band in front of grand Old College.

Hundreds of proud parents watched from the stands as the recruits marched on to the parade and were barked at for probably the last time by the Academy Adjutant Major Stephen Segrave.

The Prince of Wales arrived dressed in uniform with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, who wore a dark purple outfit and a black hat. When the Queen arrived the young officers stood to attention as the National Anthem was played and then the Monarch inspected the officers.

She passed through the lines chatting to some of them and when she reached her grandson, Prince Harry, she gave him a beaming smile and in return Harry gave her a big grin and his cheeks flushed red.

Meanwhile, the commanding officer at Sandhurst today supported Prince Harry's decision to join the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals.

Major General Andrew Ritchie said it was an "entirely appropriate choice".

Maj Gen Ritchie said: "The selection process in the British Army is by mutual consent, so all the youngsters commissioning today have found the right homes and I'm sure they will be very happy there.

"We train all cadets here to be ready for operations - but as far as where the cadets go in the world that's a matter for others."

When asked about the revelations that Harry joined Army pals at a lapdancing club last week, the Commandant refused to comment on what action had been taken. He said: "Youngsters will let their hair down and I think everybody will expect that. To my mind I've looked into the issue and I'm not prepared to comment on what action I've taken."

Maj Gen Ritchie said that Harry and brother Prince William, who is in his first year at Sandhurst after attending university, were "very good friends".

• Prince Harry is joining the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals and will serve in an armoured reconnaissance unit.

The Prince becomes a 2nd Lieutenant during the Parade and will now train to become a troop commander, in charge of 11 men and four light tanks.

The Blues and Royals were formed in 1969 from an amalgamation of The Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) and The Royal Dragoons (The Royals).

In the future, Harry could serve on the front line in Iraq or Afghanistan, where more than 3300 British troops are being deployed this summer.

Harry's uncle the Duke of York served as a Sea King helicopter pilot during the Falklands War.

The Prince of Wales trained to be a pilot with the RAF, getting his wings in 1971. He also signed up to the Royal Navy."
 
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DefenceNews ArticleHistory and Honour

Prince Harry joins cavalry old comrades for Hyde Park parade
16 May 06

Former Chief of the Defence Staff General the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, GCB LVO OBE, Colonel The Life Guards, took the Salute at the Annual Parade and Service of the Combined Cavalry “Old Comrades” Association at the Cavalry Memorial in London's Hyde Park on Sunday 14 May 2006.

Prince Harry also attended the parade, swapping his soldier's uniform for a dark grey suit, bowler hat and navy blue and claret regimental tie of the Household Division. Harry joined members of his regiment, the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, along with between two and three thousand former and serving officers and soldiers who had all gathered in the park to take part in the annual event.

General the Lord Guthrie laid a Combined Cavalry wreath at the Cavalry Memorial. He then attended the open-air church service in front of the bandstand which followed the March Past by both former and serving soldiers of all Regiments of Regular Cavalry, Yeomanry Regiments as well as representatives of Cavalry Regiments from the Commonwealth. General the Lord Guthrie also met former members of the Indian Cavalry Officers Association before departing.

The tradition of officers wearing black bowler hats and carrying umbrellas goes back to the First World War. Before the parade, Harry, or 'Cornet Wales' as he is formally known within the Regiment, chatted to regimental colleagues as those taking part in the parade gathered on the Broad Walk East side of the park.

 
I reckon its fantastic, with all the criticism the Royal's have copped, having both HRH Harry & William doing their bit is just brilliant. It makes me proud to know that, especially with Harry's outspoken beliefs as to his deployment, we've got two exceptional young men, following their grandmothers example, serving the people and making it clear that they are with all the young blokes over there. I know a lot of people have said that Harry is just glory hunting and that any deployment would mean a security detachment to boot but i completely disagree. Its fantastic what theyr doing and as members of the Commonwealth we should be dead proud of them.
I'm pretty biased though, being a Raving monarchist!
 
Well, he couldn't go to Afghanistan, but if you believe News of the World, they'll let him go to Iraq? -- Shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act.

Harry Heads to Iraq
By Ryan Sabey, News of the World (UK), 14 Jan 07
Article Link

ACTION man Prince Harry's guts and skill are about to be put to the ultimate test — as his regiment heads to war in Iraq.  The royal family and army top brass all know he will be a prize target for battling insurgents and factions.  But this week 2nd Lieutenant Harry will get special pre-deployment training — including Arabic lessons — with other key members of his Blues and Royals regiment earmarked to serve in Iraq from April.  The two-day course with the Operational Training and Advisory Group (OPTAG) is ONLY given to troops heading for the war zone.  An Army source said: "This training is exclusively for troops given the green light for Iraq.  "They don't waste time, money and manpower on anyone else.  "If a soldier's in OPTAG training for Iraq then he's going, simple as that." 

If Harry is sent it will nail widespread speculation that the 22-year-old prince will be kept away from frontline duties because of safety fears.  Harry will be delighted. He has repeatedly told friends he is desperate to serve "like any other officer".  The specialist OPTAG sessions, to be held at the Household Cavalry's barracks in Windsor, Berkshire, will drill Harry and his comrades in basic Iraqi Arabic in a bid to win over the hearts and minds of the people.  Lectures will also deal with local customs, welfare problems and tough living conditions, including extreme weather changes. 

An Army insider said: "They are taught words and phrases from a special vocabulary book so that they may address civilians politely but also issue orders and warnings.  The prince will get instruction on the geography and climate of the region plus specialised drills that have been adapted just for Iraq.  This ranges from contact drills — what to do if you or your unit is shot at or bombed — to the way sentry duty is carried out. What Harry and rest will get is the benefit of hard-learned lessons passed on by the men and women who've served before them.  It's a final phase of training prior to deployment.  The next step is a dress rehearsal exercise carried out by the entire brigade over several days in the UK.  Once that's complete they're off to do the business." 

As part of the build-up to war Harry will also spend a week on exercise with up to 1,000 other men on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, next month.  Harry will don a special laser suit that will reveal if he has been "shot" in the hi-tech war games.  Tellingly, Prince William, who is also part of the Blues and Royals but junior to Harry in terms of training, will NOT take part in the exercises or the OPTAG lectures. 

Instead, he will embark on a troop leader's course in Bovington, Dorset, for five months starting from March.  As second-in-line to the throne he cannot serve in a war zone.  It has also been confirmed he will quit the army after a year before spending time with the RAF and Navy, combined with royal duties.  But young brother Harry is now set to follow in the footsteps of his uncle Prince Andrew, who served in the 1982 Falklands War flying Sea King helicopters on risky battle missions. 

A Clarence House spokesman confirmed: "Prince Harry is undergoing this training but no final decision has been made on whether he will be deployed. That will come shortly."  But an inside source source insisted: "Harry's desperate to go.  I wouldn't want to be the one telling him he can't get on the plane."
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A bit more from The Guardian:
....  A Defense Ministry spokesman said the Blues and Royals were among a number of regiments being considered for deployment to Iraq in April.  ``Even if the regiment is selected, it is not the case that the entire regiment would be deployed. If his unit was selected, it would be down to the unit commander to determine whether it would be appropriate for Harry to go,'' the spokesman said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity in line with policy.  The Defense Ministry has previously said Harry could go to Iraq if his unit was deployed, but he might be kept out of situations where his presence would jeopardize his comrades ....
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I've been out for a bit, so I'm kinda unclear about how a platoon/troop commander, if he's in Iraq, could be "kept out of situations where his presence would jeopardize his comrades".  If the pl/tp is in the thick, how can the cdr not be?  Otherwise, the whole pl/tp has to be kept out?

 
Lord, what is the big fuss about? His uncle, and grandfather went off to war as did his grandmother.  Let the man go and do his duty and leave him alone to do it. The media did the same line of stories back in the days of the Falklands with Prince Andrew.  He came back just fine. 
 
His uncle is a Falklands vet and a very brave one at that (decoy for exocet - and he was 2nd in line to the throne!) I hope he gets deployed - even if it is only as a watchkeeper in the Squadron HQ

Actually Afghanistan would be safer in regards to insurgents targetting him - deployed out in the middle of nowhere in his CVRT in a recce role would be better than a fixed peace keeping role
 
Shouldn't this be the kind of thing the media should try to keep low key?
 
you mean like when 2 Para were heading for Goose Green (Falklands war) and the BBC announced it on the World Service

(H Jones VC mentioned that he was going to sue the Beeb when he returned as he directly blamed them for the loss of some of his men - shame he didn't survive to keep his promise!)
 
Yes, I think my all time favourite beeb blunder during the Falklands was them carrying this story before it was confirmed.  It was a story put out for propaganda purposes by the Argentines and picked up by the beeb and papers - it says the Canberra is in flames.

(on a personal note, this was just one of many news stories that the media did that caused me to up-chuck my breakfast from fear before the rear party had a chance to call us and tell us it was unfounded.  Col H was right, they needed to be sued)

 
The Rifleman said:
His uncle is a Falklands vet and a very brave one at that (decoy for exocet - and he was 2nd in line to the throne!) I hope he gets deployed - even if it is only as a watchkeeper in the Squadron HQ
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And here's what might be planned for, indeed - shared with usual disclaimer.

Harry WILL go to war zone after secret deal with army
This is London, 20 Jan 07
Article Link

Prince Harry may soon get his wish to serve in a war zone under a secret deal that is being thrashed out between Royal aides and the Ministry of Defence.

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the ex-SAS soldier who is Harry's Private Secretary, is trying to persuade military top brass to allow the 22-year-old Prince to serve as a watchkeeper, monitoring communications between a base camp and the front line.

As The Mail on Sunday revealed last year, Harry, a second lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, has threatened to quit the Army if commanders refuse to send him to war.

He wants to serve alongside his men, posing a huge dilemma for Army chiefs who fear that if the Prince, who is third in line to the Throne, is allowed to serve in a combat zone, he may be killed or put his comrades at risk.

They also fear the nation would not be able to contemplate the thought of losing Harry on top of the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

But now, under a compromise deal being discussed by Clarence House and the MoD, Harry may be allowed to serve in a 'rear area' away from the most intense fighting.

No decision has been made about whether Harry might be deployed to Iraq in April or to Afghanistan in October.

But senior sources in his regiment, the Blues and Royals, say that a posting to Kabul or Kandahar in Afghanistan is the most likely option.

A meeting is due to take place in three weeks' time between senior Cavalry commanders and Clarence House officials.

As a watchkeeper, Harry would be trained to use computers, secure phone lines and encrypted radios to monitor operations.

Watchkeepers usually become experts in a specific skill, such as ammunition supply, and have to provide commanders with regular briefings and updates.

A source told The Mail on Sunday: "Lowther-Pinkerton is acting as a go-between between Clarence House and the MoD.

"Harry is determined to serve Queen and country like all those in his regiment.

"He wants to be able to hold his head up and say to his fellow officers and men, 'I did my bit.'

"Harry will still get a campaign medal to prove he has served in a war zone, and watchkeeping duties are not a bad compromise."

Harry's regimental colleagues say he is 'quietly confident' he will be allowed to go to war in some capacity.

A senior source within the Household Cavalry said: "Harry is very level-headed, but he is concerned that if he does not deploy he will be an embarrassment to the regiment and useless to the Army as an officer.

"He has fought against being given special treatment all the way and has asked time and time again to deploy with his men but, at the same time, he accepts the regiment has a duty to reduce the risk he faces.

"From a regimental point of view, we want him to deploy. Why else would he join the Army and the Household Cavalry if he did not want to go to war and serve his country?"

Both Clarence House and the MoD said that no decision has yet been taken about Harry's deployment.
 
milnewstbay said:
"Harry is determined to serve Queen and country like all those in his regiment.

"He wants to be able to hold his head up and say to his fellow officers and men, 'I did my bit.'
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Good on him, he might actually restore some faith in the royal household.
 
Prince Harry may be training in Alberta: reports
Article Link

Updated Sat. Jun. 2 2007 8:08 AM ET

Canadian Press

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. -- There are reports that Britain's Prince Harry may be training at Canadian Forces Base Suffield in southern Alberta.

A media lockout at the base has fuelled rumours, which have resulted in dozens of calls to a local radio station.

Some people are saying they can vouch for the fact that the 22-year-old prince is in town, but won't give their names.

Harry was set to be posted to Iraq as a British army officer earlier this spring and seemed eager for the chance.

But the decision was then made that it would be too dangerous for other troops and for the prince, who British military officials say would become a prime target.

CFB Suffield, which is approximately 50 kilometres northwest of Medicine Hat and 250 kilometres southeast of Calgary, is home to a British Army Training Unit.

A spokesman for the training unit won't confirm or deny whether Harry is in Alberta.
 
If he's training in Alberta, why get the media involved? All it can do is hamper the training efforts and get in the way. People in the military have to travel to train, that's not something new. Don't let the media turn the bases into a media frenzy.
 
im not really seeing the big deal....yes he's royalty, maybe even cute, but he's there to train not party. If he is in the middle of no where he probably will stay on base. The only problem may be girls trying to get in there!

Too bad it got leaked out, poor guy probably never gets a break. Can't even fight with his men cause he'd be a target! terrible.
 
I agree with the previous sentiments, the Prince just wants to be a soldier. It's sad to see that the media won't let him do his job by constantly creating a media circus regardless of what he is doing. Shame on the media for this. Leave him be and let him lead his troops in peace (or war, since it seems he does want to lead his troops overseas).
 
If his unit goes to Iraq, then he should accompany them. What a great message it sends to the Army and the British people. Not sending him to Iraq also sends a different message and one that doesnt sit well with the common folk. If he went to Iraq the British would do well to send a message to Tehran that if anything happened to Cornet Wales they would be held accountable.He's in the Army for Christ sakes, if the Army cant protect a Lt then they have no business in Iraq.
 
While there are many arguments to let him go with his unit, there are just as many for against it.  A big issue I see is that his presence would a) divert resources to aid in his security and b) put undue danger on his unit by his presence.  He’s a soldier, but he is a prince first and that carries with it a lot of importance and symbolism.  While it does send a message to the people and other soldiers that he is getting differential treatment, it has to be said that he IS different and IS special.  The enemies know this and will undoubtedly do everything they can to cause problems surrounding one soldier.  It would cause a security nightmare for the coalition to have him there.  While other Royals have seen active duty in wars before (Prince Andrew in the Falklands for example), in this case it was deemed too dangerous to let him go.  At one point there were tabloid reports that he would quit if he wasn’t allowed to go.  While there is no doubt he is crushed personally, he handled it with tact and stayed on as he should. 
 
I don’t know how valid this idea is….but it occurred to me that there might be other reasons beyond the security issue surrounding the decision to hold him back from going.  Perhaps his personal involvement in an unpopular war may cause negative association with the Royal family.  By staying out of it personally, it distances the Royal family from the issue on one level. 

Along the same train of thought….what if the Prince or his unit was implicated in say an accidental shooting of a civilian (as can happen in war and has been reported from this one) or any other sort of controversy (and there have been many thus far).  It would cause a Royal blowup (couldn’t resist the pun ;).  While the family does hold up to scrutiny well and continues to prove their modern relevance, the cleanup from a potential problem like this would be a mess.
 
tomahawk6 said:
If his unit goes to Iraq, then he should accompany them. What a great message it sends to the Army and the British people. Not sending him to Iraq also sends a different message and one that doesnt sit well with the common folk. If he went to Iraq the British would do well to send a message to Tehran that if anything happened to Cornet Wales they would be held accountable.He's in the Army for Christ sakes, if the Army cant protect a Lt then they have no business in Iraq.
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I'm thinking he must be HUGELY frustrated - he appears to want to just do the job.

However, as InfantryGrrl mentions I don't think it's as simple as the UK military being able to protect a specific Lt - it's about a specific Lt. who would make a MARVELOUS kidnap target.  I think it's also fair to ask how much more his troops would be at risk than just any other Lt's troops, considering what a neon-lighted officer (as far as the enemy is concerned) he would be.

InfantryGrrl said:
I don’t know how valid this idea is….but it occurred to me that there might be other reasons beyond the security issue surrounding the decision to hold him back from going.  Perhaps his personal involvement in an unpopular war may cause negative association with the Royal family.  By staying out of it personally, it distances the Royal family from the issue on one level.
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Don't know enough about Royal politics, but I'm guessing that this kinda public opinion would be less of a factor than the other good points you raise.  I think they would worry about the potential impact of the kidnapping/death of a royal than anything else.

All this said, is there ANY conflict in the world where Brits are involved where this guy would be allowed to lead his troops?  Sad situation for someone who wants to do the job...
 
All this said, is there ANY conflict in the world where Brits are involved where this guy would be allowed to lead his troops?  Sad situation for someone who wants to do the job...
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It IS sad for the guy.  By all accounts he really does seem to love his job and intends to make a career out of it.  All male Royals by tradition have to do military service.  Many do it because they have to and do their duties with honour, but for Cornet Wales it is actually a calling. 

Eeek....I love to read British Royalty tabloids too much ;).   

Like Milnewstbay I'd be curious what sort of conflicts/other duties he'd be allowed to do besides training as he intends to make a career of it and doesn't want to be behind a desk. 
 
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