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 25 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. T
he 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 (later The Duke of Cambridge) was also there as an officer cadet.
Prince Harry joined his regiment on 8 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.
In May 2007, the Ministry of Defence made a decision about Prince Harry's deployment to Iraq.
Following the appearance of reports on a US website in 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 13 April 2008, Prince Harry was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals).
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 is currently a fully operational Apache Helicopter Pilot with the Army Air Corps.
View footage from February 2008 about Prince Harry’s time in Afghanistan:
