Everything eventually must come to an end, and with a mixture of joy and sadness Prince Harry has announced that he will be leaving the military this June. Prince Charles's youngest son has spent the past 10 years serving the British army in various capacities, including doing two tours of duty in Afghanistan. On Monday, March 16, Harry released an official statement confirming that it is indeed time for him to move on.
"After a decade of service, moving on from the army has been a really tough decision. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the chance to do some very challenging jobs and have met many fantastic people in the process. From learning the hard way to stay onside with my colour sergeant at Sandhurst, to the incredible people I served with during two tours in Afghanistan -- the experiences I have had over the last 10 years will stay with me for the rest of my life. Inevitably most good things come to an end and I am at a crossroads in my military career. So while I am finishing off one part of my life, I am getting straight into a new chapter. I am really looking forward to it," explained Prince Harry.
As for what will come next, we do have an idea of what his short-term plans will include.
First, he will be traveling to Africa to learn about how the local communities are working to preserve their resources and wildlife. Then this fall he will do voluntary work with the Ministry of Defence's Recovery Capability Programme, and after that anything seems possible. It will be interesting to see what Harry does when he no longer has strict military superiors he has to report to.
Prince Harry has always been known for his fun-loving side and also for his love life. At this point, though, he does not appear to really be linked to any woman at all, so wedding bells are not going to be ringing anytime soon. Are you surprised he is ready to retire from the military? Do you think he will just continue to do volunteer work for various charities, or does Harry have a new career in mind? Comment below.
