Royal Princes In Afghanistan: Walking The Line Of Danger And Duty

Prince Harry was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007, becoming the first royal family member deployed on active duty since 1982. The royal completed two operational tours of Afghanistan during his 10-year military career. The media blackout surrounding his whereabouts was broken by the Drudge Report, which revealed that Harry had been serving on the front line in Helmand Province, a dangerous area in southern Afghanistan. The news sparked concern for his safety, as he could have been targeted by the Taliban. Harry himself acknowledged the risk, stating that every single person that supports them [the Taliban] will be trying to slot me. Despite the dangers, Harry was determined to serve, and his wish was supported by high-ranking military personnel.

Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan was kept secret from the public

The deal was that the media would be given access to Prince Harry, as well as a series of pooled interviews, pictures, and footage of him in Afghanistan, on the condition that nothing would be published until his tour ended in April. All major UK news broadcasters, newspaper publishers, and news agencies signed up for the deal.

However, on February 28, 2008, the news of Prince Harry's deployment was leaked by the US-based Drudge Report website, which claimed it had taken the information from a story in the Australian women's magazine, New Idea. The German newspaper Bild is also reported to have run the story.

Following the leak, the chief of the general staff and head of the British Army, Sir Richard Dannatt, expressed disappointment, stating that foreign websites had decided to run the story without consulting the Ministry of Defence. He also praised Prince Harry's performance on deployment, stating that he had run the same risks as everyone else in his battle group.

After the story broke, there was uncertainty about whether Prince Harry would remain in Afghanistan. A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that it remained to be decided whether it was safe for him to remain in the country.

Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan was not the first time he had served in the country. In 2012, he returned to Afghanistan for a 20-week deployment as a pilot. During this time, he admitted to killing insurgents while piloting his Apache helicopter.

The UK media agreed to a blackout to protect Prince Harry

The media blackout was agreed upon because of safety concerns for Prince Harry and his British Army troop. Prince Harry was the first royal family member deployed on active duty since 1982.

The media blackout was almost broken several times, including by an Australian magazine called New Idea, which published a story about Prince Harry being in Afghanistan. However, the blackout was not broken until The Drudge Report, an American outlet not included in the agreement, reported the story on February 28, 2008.

Prince Harry's close call with a rocket attack in Afghanistan

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is a member of the British royal family and a former combat soldier in the British Army. In 2007, he was deployed to Afghanistan, serving on the front line in the southern province of Helmand. During his deployment, Prince Harry had a close call with a rocket attack by the Taliban.

The Deployment

Prince Harry served in the British Army for ten years, from 2005 to 2015. In 2007, he was deployed to Afghanistan as a forward air controller, guiding fighter jets towards suspected Taliban targets. This made him the first British royal to be deployed on active duty since 1982 and the first to be engaged in combat since 1982, when his uncle, Prince Andrew, flew helicopters during the Falklands War.

The Rocket Attack

During his deployment, Prince Harry was stationed at Forward Base Dwyer, an isolated desert outpost six miles from the front line in Helmand Province. One afternoon in February 2008, while chatting with fellow soldiers, the camp came under attack by a Chinese 107mm rocket fired by the Taliban. According to Sergeant Tom Pal, who was present during the attack, the rocket struck "a breath-stopping" 50 meters from where they were sitting. Fortunately, Prince Harry and the other soldiers were not harmed in the attack.

The Media Blackout

Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan was kept secret from the public due to safety concerns. All British media outlets agreed to a media blackout during his tour of duty, which lasted for ten weeks. However, in February 2008, news of his deployment leaked, leading to his early withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Impact

Prince Harry's close call with the rocket attack highlighted the dangers faced by soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Despite the risks, he completed two operational tours of Afghanistan during his military career. His service in the army enhanced his status in Britain and helped shed his reputation as a royal wild child.

Prince William was deemed too big a risk to serve in Afghanistan

Queen Elizabeth II wanted both her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to serve their country by fighting alongside British forces in Afghanistan. However, it was decided that William, as the "heir to the heir", was too big a risk to be deployed. The former head of the British Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, revealed that the Queen had expressed her view that both her grandsons should fight, saying:

> My grandsons have taken my shilling, therefore they must do their duty.

While Harry was allowed to join the conflict and completed two operational tours in Afghanistan, William was kept safe due to his position in the royal hierarchy.

Prince William completed a 44-week training course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. He also flew rescue helicopters and undertook a dangerous job flying Sea King helicopters in challenging conditions close to cliffs and mountains. However, he was not allowed to serve in active combat zones.

William's determination to serve in Afghanistan was well-known, and he was expected to put in a fresh request for a tour of duty after his spell as an RAF search and rescue pilot ended. He expressed his frustration at being forced to stay at home while his younger brother, Prince Harry, served in Afghanistan. William's military career included training with the Blues and Royals to be a troop leader of a group of four to six Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles.

In summary, Prince William was deemed too big a risk to serve in Afghanistan due to his position as the second-in-line to the British throne at the time. Despite this, he remained keen to fight and expressed frustration at being held back. He channelled his military training into other roles, such as flying rescue helicopters and undertaking challenging flights in dangerous conditions.

Prince Harry's second deployment to Afghanistan lasted 20 weeks

Prince Harry, known as Captain Wales in the army, was deployed as a co-pilot gunner in an Apache helicopter. He described his role as "a great honour" and said he was "proud to serve". During his time in Afghanistan, he admitted to killing 25 Taliban fighters, whom he viewed as "chess pieces removed from the board".

The prince's second deployment was not kept secret, unlike his first. In 2007, a media blackout was agreed upon by all British broadcasters and print publications to protect the prince's safety. However, this was broken by the Drudge Report, an American outlet not included in the agreement.

Prince Harry's deployments to Afghanistan were not without controversy. In 2008, he was pulled out of the country after just 10 weeks due to safety fears when news of his deployment leaked. Similarly, in 2012, his second deployment was almost jeopardised when naked photos of him in Las Vegas were published by the British tabloid The Sun. Despite this, the prince was determined to serve and successfully completed his 20-week tour of duty.

Frequently asked questions