It’s a longstanding tradition that members of the Royal Family serve their country by joining the Armed Forces.

The late Queen Elizabeth II served as a mechanic during World War II, while her son Prince Andrew participated in a Royal Navy mission during the 1982 Falklands War.

However, no deployment has been considered as perilous as the missions Prince Harry undertook with the British Army in Afghanistan, battling the Taliban insurgency, when he was third in line to the throne.

Despite the dangers associated with his deployment, Harry reportedly embraced the straightforwardness of military life during his two tours in the conflict-ridden nation.

In her biography, ‘The Making of a Royal Romance,’ royal expert Katie Nicholl reflects on Prince Harry’s experience in Afghanistan, its effects on the Royal Family, and the premature conclusion of his tour.

Prince Harry, referred to as ‘Cornet Wales,’ arrived in Afghanistan in late 2007 under a media blackout from the UK press to ensure the 23-year-old royal’s safety.

Despite the dusty battlefield being drastically different from Harry’s life, he settled in quickly.

‘Harry’s easy nature and sense of humour quickly won him the friendship and trust of his comrades.’ Nicholls wrote.

Prince Harry in Helmand province in February 2008. ‘Cornet Wales’, as Prince Harry was known, arrived in Afghanistan in late 2007 amidst a media blackout from the UK press

Despite the dusty battlefield being drastically different to Harry’s life in the Royal Family, he settled in quickly 

Indeed, the prince very much enjoyed the ‘simplicity and anonymity of this life’ and seemed ‘more comfortable being a soldier than a prince’. 

This was despite not being able to wash and having to spend Christmas Eve in Garmsir – an area of Afghanistan close to Pakistan which was rife with Taliban activity.

The prince would go on to remark that ‘Christmas is overrated anyway’.

But back at home on that December 25 there is no doubt that Harry would have been on the minds of the Royals as they celebrated the holiday while the prince was thousands of miles away.

Nicholls wrote: ‘The press kept their word and little was made of the fact that Harry was absent from the family’s traditional lunch at Sandringham. When the Queen delivered her traditional Christmas Day speech, she poignantly prayed for the safe return of every soldier in Afghanistan. 

‘Few knew she and the rest of the Royals were feeling the same fear and worry as every other family who had sons and daughters on the front line that Christmas.’

Harry still kept in touch with loved ones. Prince William sent him a letter saying how “proud” their mother would be of him’ and he also spoke to the rest of the family once a week in a 30-minute call on a satellite phone.

And Harry’s then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy kept in touch with him through Facebook using pseudonyms. 

The Queen preparing to deliver her Christmas Day speech in December 2007. As the monarch poignantly prayed for the safe return of every soldier in Afghanistan, she was thinking of her own grandson 

Harry in January 2008 in Helmand Province. The prince very much enjoyed the ‘simplicity and anonymity of this life’ and seemed more comfortable being a soldier than a prince’

Prince Harry and his girlfriend Chelsy Davy in November 2008. They kept in touch through Facebook using pseudonyms

But by the start of 2008 rumours that Harry was fighting on the front line in Afghanistan were beginning to gather momentum.

Despite the embargo on reporting the Prince’s whereabouts, an Australian magazine called New Idea chose to report his deployment in January.

It wasn’t immediately picked up by the global press until the US media outlet the Drudge Report reported the story making the news impossible to contain. It then ‘spread like wildfire’, according to Nicholl. 

Harry’s evacuation plan was immediately put into action and he was given just a few minutes to say goodbye to his fellow soldiers. 

The prince said at the time: ‘They were upset, they were pretty depressed for me. They were just like “It would be nice to keep you here”.’

Nicholl said: ‘Prince Harry didn’t smile as he descended the steps of the RAF TriStar passenger jet at exactly 11.20am on Saturday March 1.’

Upon Harry’s return to the UK, the Daily Mail reported that Harry had been warned he was now a target for terrorists after his deployment was made public knowledge. 

Reacting to having to cut his time in Afghanistan short, Harry said he wasn’t angry but ‘slightly disappointed’ because he couldn’t ‘see it through to the end and comeback with our guys.’ 

The Daily Mail reporting on Harry’s return in March 2008 

For his service, Harry was presented with an Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan by his aunt the Princess Royal

Harry during his second deployment to Afghanistan in 2012 

Best selling author, journalist and broadcaster Katie Nicholl has been writing about the British royal family for nearly two decades

He later received praise for his service in particular for how he helped Gurkha troops repel an attack from Taliban insurgents.

For his service, Harry was presented with an Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan by his aunt the Princess Royal.

In 2012, he returned to Afghanistan with the Ministry of Defence publicising his second deployment on the understanding that the media would allow him to get on with the job at hand.

Years later Harry would recall his army service in his memoir, Spare, where the Duke of Sussex revealed that he killed 25 Taliban fighters during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, when he flew an Apache attack helicopter.

Harry, who was known as ‘Captain Wales’ in the military, wrote that he did not think of those killed ‘as people’ but instead ‘chess pieces removed from the board’, or ‘bad guys eliminated’.

This was the first time that Harry, now 40, had specified the number of insurgents he had personally killed during his time in Afghanistan.  

While many soldiers do not know how many enemies they have killed in combat, the Duke wrote in Spare that ‘in the era of Apaches and laptops’ he was able to say ‘with exactness’ the number of insurgents he killed.

During Harry’s 2012 tour, he also helped provide helicopter support to the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan forces operating throughout Helmand province.

Based out of Camp Bastion, 662 Squadron Army Air Corps, to which he belonged, flew more than a hundred missions over 2,500 flying hours, providing surveillance, deterrence and, when required, close combat attack capabilities as well as escort duties for other aircraft.

Captain Wales, who qualified as a co-pilot gunner in February 2012, was posted to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, to gain further flying experience and to operate the Apache on a number of exercises before deploying to Afghanistan in September 2012.