Prince Harry Leaving the Army (June 2015): What will he do now?

[Elenath]

I have the feeling Harry knows exactly what Harry will be doing in the future. The fact that they haven't told every one else about it doesn't mean it's not known.

And it seems some people here are fierce supporters of the monarchy (any monarchy) as long as they don't have to foot the bill.


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[Marty91charmed]

I defended William's gap year and am happy to defend Harry's. I see no need to trash Harry to make William look better, or vice versa. So long as the taxpayer is not directly funding them I, like I suspect the vast majority of my fellow countrymen and women, don't really care what they do day to day so long as it's vaguely useful.

William has been slaughtered, both in the media and these boards, for taking time to decide his next steps. Be in no doubt that he's had it easy. Yet, he is still voted the most popular member of the family on a regular basis, alternating with Harry and HM. The crisis over William was totally overblown and I have no doubt the crisis over Harry will be similarly overstated.

That's exactly what I mean! And after reading the press release it doesn't look like he will be doing nothing! His plan until the autumn of 2015 are pretty clear and busy to me

 

[Iluvbertie]

In that case, I take it back. The entire BRF, not just Harry, no point visiting Australia again. You and your 'campaign' against Australia are clearly unwelcome.

I doubt very, very much Harry would want to emigrate to Australia anyway tbh. Too far away from everything.

There is nothing against the occasional visit but they aren't Aussies, don't represent us on the world stage, will campaign against Australian interests when they clash with British interests and that is a reason why many Aussies don't see a role for them in our country and our future.

The story that Harry might emigrate here was in the DM.

I hate to bring up a political discussion here, but are the Aussies becoming a bit like the Scots? Hold a referendum, decide to stay in the Union / keep the Queen as head of state. At that point, the matter should be over for a generation. Yet the endless carping just continues....

1. It has been nearly a generation - 16 years.

2. The question was the issue more than the actual idea. Unlike Scotland that had a simple 'do you want to become independent?' Australia had a more complicated question. If we had had the simple 'Do you want Australia to become a republic?' the polls clearly showed that the answer would have been an overwhelming 'Yes' vote. Many republicans voted 'No' in 1999 because of the type of republic being proposed - one where the politicians were going to chose the president. Most of the polls have shown that Aussies wanted then, and still would prefer, a directly elected president.

Are there any reports or information on the Prince's current events/engagements in, say, the past week, or month? The things mentioned here seem to be way in the future...

Harry's engagements so far this year as listed in the CC:

14th January: Coach Core Programme Graduation Ceremony

1st February: London Marathon Training Day and Forum - for Rugby Football Players Injured Players Union

3rd February: Visited Huntingdon Academy and then attended the Premiere
of 'Guillemot'

24th February: Chairman's Dinner for the Foundation with William and Kate

25th February: Visited Wildlife Trust and visited Avondale House

13th March: Afghanistan Service of Commemoration and Reception

18th March: Reception for Walking With the Wounded

What he has coming up according to the Future Engagements on the British Monarchy Website is nothing for the rest of March and nothing for April (note - it has been reported that he and Charles are going to Gallipoli for the commemorations there on the 25th but not according to the British monarchy website). Charles' website says confirms that report by saying that Charles and Harry will be going to Turkey for the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign and ANZAC Day.

So officially in the next month and a half he has a trip to Turkey coming up and is also supposed to be spending time in Australia before making an official visit to New Zealand.

 

[MichelleQ2]

I have the feeling Harry knows exactly what Harry will be doing in the future. The fact that they haven't told every one else about it doesn't mean it's not known.
.....

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I agree completely. The BRF is known for their planning; little is left to chance. My feeling is that Harry kept having his hands tied and his feet grounded in the military and a desk job is not his style. It served his purpose when he was doing the Invictus games - but long term not the way he was going to stay in the military so he has a new plan. Which i am sure will be good - but sad that I think his vocational love (and his aptitude) is flying.

I have always thought Harry would end up with a base in Africa - I see that as more of his long term plan than Australia.

but i dont believe for a moment, just because we dont know about it, does not mean a plan does not exist.

 

[AfricanAUSSIE]

1. It has been nearly a generation - 16 years.

2. The question was the issue more than the actual idea. Unlike Scotland that had a simple 'do you want to become independent?' Australia had a more complicated question. If we had had the simple 'Do you want Australia to become a republic?' the polls clearly showed that the answer would have been an overwhelming 'Yes' vote. Many republicans voted 'No' in 1999 because of the type of republic being proposed - one where the politicians were going to chose the president. Most of the polls have shown that Aussies wanted then, and still would prefer, a directly elected president.

Our entire family are republican who voted no to a republic for that very reason.

I for one would be DELIGHTED if we jettisoned Australia as one of the realms..

As you say Muriel they do NOTHING but moan..

Hahahaha! And yet, it is your lot that are labelled as the 'whinging poms'!

 

[cepe]

Firstly - Harry is STILL in the military and therefore is not available for royal duties above the historical level. So he wont have lots of engagements posted

The Royal website sometimes puts up the PoW engagements and rarely William, Catherine and Harrys. Sadly, neither does the PoW site so that is not reliable. There have been press releases which the media have reported on and I think we can safely assume Harry is going to Gallipoli with ~Charles.

He is going to Australia for 4 wks on an exchange visit - whilst he is still in the military.

There will be a press release telling us eventually what is happening in NZ.

What is wrong with waiting on the facts instead of some posters just being so negative.

As for the William vs Harry posts - folks, you need to lie down and rest awhile. THose brothers are not competing with each other, so why make it up.

 

[royal rob]

I hate to bring up a political discussion here, but are the Aussies becoming a bit like the Scots? Hold a referendum, decide to stay in the Union / keep the Queen as head of state. At that point, the matter should be over for a generation. Yet the endless carping just continues....

For most people it's not something that they even think about don't judge all Australians by a handful here on this forum


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[Iluvbertie]

The issue of the republic is on the backburner at the moment but all intelligent Aussies know that is will come back to the front of politics at some point in the future.

The ALP have the republic as part of its party platform. Both sides of politics have agreed that they won't revisit the issue in terms of a referendum during the present reign.

The present leader of the ALP uses major non-party political speeches - such as Australia Day and his speech on the Succession to the Crown Act - as times to remind Australians of the issue. The papers, in reporting on that Act, headlined with Shorten's speech about Australia becoming a republic and not on the issue of the legislation at all.

When I joined this board I was a monarchist but I now a republican as far as Australia is concerned and I credit this board with opening my eyes to the need for Australia to have its own Head of State. It is one of the reasons why I like this board - it taught me that the BRF has outlived their usefulness as far as Australia is concerned.


As for Harry, he will receive a true Aussie welcome here but he wouldn't be accepted in any official role by even monarchist Aussies. They might like the idea of a foreigner as their Head of State but they also insist on an Aussie as the GG.

 

[PetticoatLane]

That's exactly what I mean! And after reading the press release it doesn't look like he will be doing nothing! His plan until the autumn of 2015 are pretty clear and busy to me

I also don't see how slating William to make Harry look better helps anyone either, which some Harry fans seem to enjoy doing. It seems to me Harry is about to do much the same as William did. I'll bet he'll be off the scene for much of the time come the autumn and then the same nonsense will be thrown at him as was William.

I very much doubt, however, that at the end of Harry's gap year he'll take up a solid full-time job like William has. I predict he'll just do a mixture of charity work and royal engagements. He won't be taking on 400 engagements a year anytime soon IMO.

 

[Curryong]

William hasn't taken up a solid full-time job yet. He's still training for it and now the word is he'll start flying in the summer. How full-time it will be we'll have to wait to see.

We don't know what Harry and his advisers have planned for later on. I don't think Harry has any intentions of living in Aus even on a part-time basis.

As for Australia becoming a republic the figures for those supporting it have gone down in recent years. Get a Yes vote anyway is incredibly difficult under the present Constitution.

 

[Marty91charmed]

I also don't see how slating William to make Harry look better helps anyone either, which some Harry fans seem to enjoy doing. It seems to me Harry is about to do much the same as William did. I'll bet he'll be off the scene for much of the time come the autumn and then the same nonsense will be thrown at him as was William.

I very much doubt, however, that at the end of Harry's gap year he'll take up a solid full-time job like William has. I predict he'll just do a mixture of charity work and royal engagements. He won't be taking on 400 engagements a year anytime soon IMO.

I think it is the reverse! Many posters are convinced that there are two different parties: William's fan vs Harry's fan. The point is that Harry is always depicted as the black sheep and William as the savior or whatever. Of course this is rubbish. I drew a comparison because there always are posters who make nasty or ironic hints at how much Harry is supported. And I don't understand why they bother.... That' s all

 

[Skippyboo]

I think that was the case early on when the brothers were younger. But now I think it has reversed. Harry gets praised as being great with kids while William is boring and dull. We haven't seen him slammed for taking a vacation like W&K were for leaving George to go to the Maldives or Beatrice recently. Nor have we seen any stories about the cost of his Apache training but we did see stories about the cost of Will's SAR training after he left the RAF.




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[Rudolph]

Any criticism of Harry is quickly shouted down. I raised the issue of the cost of Harry's helicopter training on here and was dismissed as a 'hater'

 

[Marty91charmed]

But why are these two brothers put against each other in order to discredit one or another? It is useless and silly! Can't people just write things about them individually? Everytime Harry gets critics is fine, when William deserves them some starts saying " Haters! look at Harry's misfits" He isn't the scapegoat , you know!

 

[Jacknch]

People should try and steer clear of comparing and favouring different members of the royal family or at least try and have some consistency in their reactions to things that individual royals do that are similar or the same to what other royals have done. It makes life a lot easier all round!

From a personal perspective, Harry leaving the army was a surprise to me and I can only hope that there is a clear, considered and certain future in place for him as regards to his career/work/charity/role etc.

 

[Mirabel]

Maybe I lack the imagination, but I don't see what Harry will do outside the military.
Any job will be construed as cashing in on his family connections.


But anything else will leave him and his family open to brutal criticism. If he takes up charity work in Africa, there will be grumbling that there are plenty of people needing help in Britain. If he takes on work similar to Prince Andrew's, people will complain that he is equally useless, as has been said of Andrew for years now.
Anything in the private sector will be taking employment from someone who really needs it.


I hope Harry is not making a mistake in leaving the army.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

I agree that it is hard to see what Harry will do now but I am in the camp that believes the decision was prompted by the fact that the military apparently doesn't need his flying skills. That doesn't mean he is a bad pilot, but they only need so many pilots and they have to train new ones all the time. It is only natural that some pilots are rotated off.


Harry couldn't be accused of cashing in on his family connections if he donated his salary to charity, like William has. I see Harry as an "action" guy. In the U.S., we have volunteer firefighters, disaster relief workers, pilots, etc..., so perhaps Harry can do something like that. I know William is flying rescue helicopters (or soon will be) but I don't think that should preclude Harry from doing so if that is what he truly wants to do.

 

[Dman]

No, Harry leaving the army was not a mistake. There comes a time when a chapter in ones life come to a close and another begins. I know people are reflecting on Andrew's life after leaving the navy, but I think Harry will find his niche. Also, he's opening up the possibility of finding a nice young lady to have in his life and find out where things will lead.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Williams gap year was pretty pointless. He quit one job, for a year later to start the exact same job in a different part of the country with no pay.

Henry has some structure to his gap year, but what I cannot fathom is how one guy can go from the army basically being the mans life. He fought so hard to go back to Afghanistan with fellow soldiers and then one day he has a "nah it's not for me moment". With no clear path for what's coming next. Unless Henry is going to take up full time duties, he better find something solid to do after his gap year.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Henry has some structure to his gap year, but what I cannot fathom is how one guy can go from the army basically being the mans life. He fought so hard to go back to Afghanistan with fellow soldiers and then one day he has a "nah it's not for me moment". With no clear path for what's coming next. Unless Henry is going to take up full time duties, he better find something solid to do after his gap year.

I know time flies, but Harry fought to go back to Afghanistan in 2013--two years ago. I think its common for most people to decide to leave the military before they have the 20 years needed for a full retirement.

In Harry's case, he was transferred to a desk job and my guess is that he didn't find it stimulating enough. If that is true, it is only natural that he decided to leave. I couldn't understand why someone would want to stay in a career they didn't feel was satisfying and fullfilling.

 

[Rudolph]

I don't think we know everything with Harry. William's gap year came when both the Dukes of Edinburgh and Kent were ill and no one knew what the future would look like.

William needed to be available should the unthinkable happen. So his leaving the RAF made sense at least to me.

Harry could have stayed in the Army and still do most of what he outlined in his statement. The fact he is leaving something he loves either means he is in crisis or things are happening behind the scenes with the Firm we are not yet privy to.

I don't think the desk job excuse is valid. Harry knew all along he'd be required to put time in behind a desk. Its not like this came as a surprise to him.

 

[GrammaSueSue]

I don't think we know everything with Harry. William's gap year came when both the Dukes of Edinburgh and Kent were ill and no one knew what the future would look like.

William needed to be available should the unthinkable happen. So his leaving the RAF made sense at least to me.

Harry could have stayed in the Army and still do most of what he outlined in his statement. The fact he is leaving something he loves either means he is in crisis or things are happening behind the scenes with the Firm we are not yet privy to.

I don't think the desk job excuse is valid. Harry knew all along he'd be required to put time in behind a desk. Its not like this came as a surprise to him.

I quite agree with this assessment. Almost daily, I get the impression that things are going on behind the scenes. The Transition Team must consider a variety of scenarios going forward (much like any large corporation). It would be mind-boggling.

 

[Dman]

I agree, William's gap year was pretty pointless, but at least he started to step up on the official side. I think the same will now be expected of Harry. It seems like Harry will now have to start embracing official duties and focus more on his charities. Harry will no longer have his army job to excuse him from his official duties, which has been lacking for a long time.

 

[Rudolph]

Well Harry's statement was clear, he will not be taking up full-time royal duties

 

[US Royal Watcher]

I don't think we know everything with Harry. William's gap year came when both the Dukes of Edinburgh and Kent were ill and no one knew what the future would look like.

William needed to be available should the unthinkable happen. So his leaving the RAF made sense at least to me.

Harry could have stayed in the Army and still do most of what he outlined in his statement. The fact he is leaving something he loves either means he is in crisis or things are happening behind the scenes with the Firm we are not yet privy to.

I don't think the desk job excuse is valid. Harry knew all along he'd be required to put time in behind a desk. Its not like this came as a surprise to him.

This is just my opinion, of course. I agree there is a lot going on behind the scenes, but I don't agree that Harry would have to leave the military because there is something "firm related" going on. I think the plan is for a slimmed down monarchy and no one within the firm expects that the royal family will continue to maintain the same number of public appearances under the reign of King Charles. Although Harry knew that he would be eventually assigned to a desk, there is a difference between knowing it is coming and actually experiencing it.

I also don't agree that William left the military because of the health of the Dukes of Edinburg and Kent. It seems to me that his decision was timed to coincide with George's birth. I also assume that he was due to be rotated off of search and rescue operations, which also played a part in his decision.

 

[muriel]

I also don't agree that William left the military because of the health of the Dukes of Edinburg and Kent. It seems to me that his decision was timed to coincide with George's birth. I also assume that he was due to be rotated off of search and rescue operations, which also played a part in his decision.

I don't believe William's decision to leave the SAR was based on George's birth. If anything, it would have been quite nice to bring George up in the wonderful seclusion of Wales.

It is possible he was being rotated off operations, or the plan to privatise the SAR which may have been key factors.

 

[Rudolph]

Richard Palmer of the Express described Harry's posting at Whitehall this past year as a 'theoretical desk job'. Harry was hardly ever there and we still don't know what he actually helped to organise in relation to the Army in London (the original reason given for this posting).

The fact he will not be taking up full-time royal duties means there must be something more to come.

The latest YouGov poll showed 64 percent of people think Harry should have a regular job in addition to royal duties, much like what William is doing now.

 

[GrammaSueSue]

Harry has been in a desk job for a year or so...actually experiencing it. Apparently, he did not enjoy it. Also there were probably other issues which contributed to his decision.


William left the military for a variety of reasons, some of which have been mentioned.


There is a transition going on folks...much to which we are not privy. It must be an enormous task to consider the variety of scenarios which could take place and the logistics involved in consolidating and reshuffling of the various responsibilities and persons involved (whomever they may be).

 

[Dman]

Well Harry's statement was clear, he will not be taking up full-time royal duties

He don't have to become a full-time member of the royal family in order to step up his official duties. He should be doing more though. His full-time military job took up a great deal of his time and away from royal duties. His leaving from the job should allow him to carry out more duties.

 

[Rudolph]

I do agree the Army was Harry's cover and without it he will open himself up to criticism if he doesn't buckle down and work.

Travelling around Africa with an expensive security detail in tow won't go over well.