How Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is a prominent member of the British Royal Family, the younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He currently stands fifth in line to the British throne. He served in the British Army, undertaking tours in Afghanistan. In 2018, he married Meghan Markle, an American actress. In 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family, relocating to North America. They have since pursued various philanthropic and commercial ventures, including the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions. Harry has been vocal about his struggles with mental health and his relationship with the media and his family.
In September 2004, Prince Harry passed the Regular Commissions Board (RCB).
In May 2005, Prince Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as Officer Cadet Wales.
In April 2006, Prince Harry completed his officer training and was commissioned as a Cornet (second lieutenant) in the Blues and Royals.
In October 2006, Prince Harry completed the Troop Leaders' Course and rejoined his regiment in Windsor.
In 2006, Prince Harry visited Mants'ase Children's Home in Lesotho and, with Prince Seeiso, launched Sentebale: The Princes' Fund for Lesotho, a charity to aid children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
In 2007, Prince Harry and Prince William organised the Concert for Diana, in memory of their mother, which benefited the charities and patronages of Diana, William, and Harry.
In 2007, Prince Harry was deployed for ten weeks in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, marking his active service in the military.
In February 2008, the Ministry of Defence revealed that Prince Harry had been secretly deployed as a joint terminal attack controller to Helmand Province in Afghanistan for the previous ten weeks. He was immediately withdrawn due to publicity concerns.
In April 2008, Prince Harry was promoted to lieutenant in the Blues and Royals.
In May 2008, Princess Anne presented Prince Harry with the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan at Combermere Barracks.
In October 2008, Prince Harry and his brother embarked on the 1,000-mile, eight-day Enduro Africa motorbike ride across South Africa to raise money for Sentebale, UNICEF, and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
In October 2008, it was announced that Prince Harry would follow his brother, father, and uncle in learning to fly military helicopters.
In 2008, Prince Harry concluded his ten-week deployment in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
On 6 January 2009, the Queen granted Harry and William their own royal household. Previously, their affairs were handled by their father's office at Clarence House.
In February 2009, Prince Harry initially failed his pilot's theory test.
In September 2009, Prince Harry and Prince William set up The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry to enable them to take forward their charitable ambitions.
On 7 May 2010, Prince Charles presented Prince Harry with his flying brevet (wings) at a ceremony at the Army Air Corps Base (AAC) at Middle Wallop.
In December 2010, Prince Harry was awarded the Golden Heart Award by the German charity Ein Herz für Kinder for his charitable and humanitarian efforts.
In 2010, Prince Harry had served as the RFU's vice-royal patron since 2010, supporting the Queen as patron.
In April 2011, Prince Harry was awarded his Apache Flying Badge and promoted to captain.
In June 2011, it was announced that Prince Harry would be available for deployment in current operations in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot.
In October 2011, Prince Harry was transferred to a United States military base in California to complete his helicopter gunship training.
On May 7, 2012, Prince Harry received the Atlantic Council's Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award.
On 7 September 2012, Prince Harry arrived at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan as part of the 100-strong 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps, to begin a four-month combat tour as a co-pilot and gunner for an Apache helicopter.
In 2012, Prince Harry launched Coach Core alongside his brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The program was set up following the 2012 Olympics and provides apprenticeship opportunities for people who desire to pursue a career as a professional coach.
In 2012, Prince Harry was deployed for twenty weeks with the Army Air Corps in Afghanistan.
On 21 January 2013, it was announced that Prince Harry was returning from a 20-week deployment in Afghanistan.
Between 9 and 15 May 2013, Harry made an official visit to the US to promote the rehabilitation of injured American and UK troops, publicise his own charities, and support British interests.
On 8 July 2013, the Ministry of Defence announced that Prince Harry had successfully qualified as an Apache aircraft commander.
In October 2013, Harry undertook his first official tour of Australia, attending the International Fleet Review at Sydney Harbour and visiting the Australian SAS HQ in Perth.
In December 2013, Prince Harry joined Walking With The Wounded's 200-mile expedition to the South Pole in Antarctica, accompanying twelve injured servicemen and women from the UK, the US, and the Commonwealth.
In 2013, Prince Harry concluded his twenty-week deployment with the Army Air Corps in Afghanistan.
In January 2014, Prince Harry completed his attachment to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and assumed the role of Staff Officer (SO3) for Defence Engagement in HQ London District. Based at Horse Guards in central London, his responsibilities included coordinating significant projects and commemorative events involving the Army in London.
On 6 March 2014, Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting event for injured servicemen and women, scheduled to be held later that year.
On 29 April 2014, Prince Harry met British hopefuls for the Invictus Games at Tedworth House in Wiltshire, marking the start of the selection process.
On 15 May 2014, Prince Harry attended a ticket-sale launch for the Invictus Games at the BT Tower, and promoted the event on the Games' official Twitter account as its president.
In August 2014, Prince Harry and officials attended the British Armed Forces Team announcement for the Invictus Games at Potters Field Park.
From 8 to 14 September 2014, Prince Harry attended all events related to the Invictus Games competition in his role as president.
On 6 November 2014, Harry opened the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, a task usually performed by Prince Philip.
In 2014, inspired by the Warrior Games, Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.
In January 2015, Prince Harry took on a new role supporting wounded service personnel by working alongside members of the London District's Personal Recovery Unit for the MOD's Defence Recovery Capability scheme. He also visited The Battle Back Centre and Fisher House UK.
In March 2015, Prince Harry visited Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, a recovery centre run by Help for Heroes.
On 17 March 2015, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry would leave the Armed Forces in June, with plans to spend time seconded to the Australian Defence Force before returning to work in a voluntary capacity with the Ministry of Defence.
In April 2015, Harry visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra before reporting for duty to the Australian Defence Force. He also joined his father in Turkey to attend commemorations of the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign.
On 7 May 2015, Harry made a farewell walkabout at the Sydney Opera House and visited Macquarie University Hospital.
On 8 May 2015, Prince Harry's attachment with the Australian Defence Force concluded.
On 19 June 2015, Prince Harry officially resigned from his short service commission in the Armed Forces.
In October 2015, Harry carried out engagements in the US, launching the Invictus Games Orlando 2016 with First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden at Fort Belvoir.
On 30 September and 20 October 2015, as patron of Walk of Britain, Prince Harry walked with the team.
In November 2015, Harry, as patron of Sentebale, traveled to Lesotho to attend the opening of the Mamohato Children's Centre.
From 30 November to 3 December 2015, Harry made an official visit to South Africa. He visited Cape Town, where he presented the insignia of the Order of the Companions of Honour to the Archbishop on behalf of the Queen.
From 19-23 March 2016, Harry visited Nepal. He stayed until the end of March 2016 to help rebuild a secondary school with Team Rubicon UK and visited a Hydropower Project in Central Nepal.
On July 14, 2016, Prince Harry took an HIV test live on the royal family Facebook page to raise awareness for HIV testing. Later, on July 21, 2016, he attended the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa.
In 2016, Prince Harry, along with Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, co-founded Heads Together, a mental health awareness initiative.
In January 2017, Prince Harry visited the Running Charity and its partner Depaul UK to highlight the role of sport in helping homeless and vulnerable people.
In April 2017, Prince Harry hosted the Landmine Free 2025 reception at Kensington Palace, during which the UK government announced an increase in its financial support for de-mining efforts.
In December 2017, Prince Harry guest edited BBC Radio 4's Today programme, conducting interviews with his father, former US president Barack Obama, and others on issues such as youth violence, the Armed Forces, mental health, the Commonwealth, conservation and the environment.
On 19 December 2017, Prince Harry succeeded his grandfather Prince Philip as Captain General Royal Marines.
In April 2018, Harry was appointed Commonwealth youth ambassador. Also in April, he became a patron of Walk of America. The Prince was appointed the president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust in April.
In July 2018, Harry travelled to Dublin, Ireland, alongside his wife Meghan, which marked their first overseas visit as a couple.
In July 2018, the Elton John AIDS Foundation announced that Prince Harry and Elton John were about to launch a global coalition called MenStar that would focus "on treating HIV infections in men".
In August 2018, the Royal Canadian Legion granted Prince Harry the 2018 Founders Award for his role in founding the Invictus Games.
In October 2018, Prince Harry was presented with the RSA Badge in Gold, the organisation's highest honour, for his work with injured veterans.
In October 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex travelled to Sydney for the 2018 Invictus Games, as part of a Pacific tour that included Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.
In April 2019, it was announced that Prince Harry was working as co-creator and executive producer on a documentary series about mental health together with Oprah Winfrey, which was initially set to air in 2020 on Apple TV+.
In May 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan, along with Prince William and Kate, launched Shout, the UK's first 24/7 text messaging service for those who suffer from mental issues.
In June 2019, Prince Harry left the charity The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.
In June 2019, Prince Harry was present at the launch of Made by Sport, a charity coalition set to raise money to boost sport in disadvantaged communities. He lent his support to the charity by arguing that its role in bringing sport into the life of disadvantaged people would save "hundreds of millions of pounds" towards treating the issues among young people.
In June 2019, it was announced that Prince Harry and Meghan would split from The Royal Foundation and establish their own charity foundation by the end of 2019.
In September 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan hired New York-based PR firm Sunshine Sachs, which had been working with them on intermittent projects since 2017.
In September 2019, Prince Harry launched Travalyst during his visit to the Netherlands after two years of development. The initiative is set "to encourage sustainable practices in the travel industry" and "tackle climate change and environmental damage", in collaboration with a number of companies, including Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Visa Inc.
In September 2019, Prince Harry walked through a de-mining site in Angola, the same country visited by his mother 22 years earlier.
In September and October 2019, Harry and Meghan went on a Southern African tour that included Malawi, Angola, South Africa and Botswana. Because infant son Archie traveled with the Sussexes, this was "their first official tour as a family".
In November 2019, Prince Harry interviewed HIV+ Rugby player Gareth Thomas on behalf of the Terrence Higgins Trust to mark the National HIV Testing Week.
In January 2020, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would step back from royal duties and, from March 31, 2020, would no longer use their Royal Highness styles in practice or publicly.
In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back from royal duties, following talks in summer 2019 with Jeffrey Katzenberg about a role in Quibi, which they ultimately declined.
In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family and relocated to Southern California.
In February 2020, Prince Harry recorded a new version of the song "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi, featuring backing vocals from members of the Invictus Choir.
On February 21, 2020, it was confirmed that "Sussex Royal" would not be used as a brand name for Prince Harry and Meghan following their withdrawal from public life.
In March 2020, Harry's tenure as Commonwealth youth ambassador ended.
In March 2020, Prince Harry attended the opening of the Silverstone Experience and on 9 March 2020, Harry and Meghan attended the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which was their last engagement as a couple before officially stepping down on 31 March.
In March 2020, as previously announced in January, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ceased using their Royal Highness styles in practice or publicly following their decision to step back from royal duties.
On March 27, 2020, the new version of the song "Unbroken", recorded by Prince Harry and Jon Bon Jovi, was released. The proceeds were donated to the Invictus Games Foundation.
In April 2020, Meghan and Harry confirmed their new foundation (in lieu of Sussex Royal) would be called "Archewell".
In April 2020, Prince Harry launched a new initiative named HeadFIT, a platform designed to provide mental support for members of the armed forces. The initiative was developed mutually by the Royal Foundation's Heads Together campaign, the Ministry of Defence, and King's College London.
In June 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan backed the Stop Hate for Profit campaign and encouraged CEOs of different companies to join the movement.
In June 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan signed with the Harry Walker Agency, owned by Endeavor, for paid public speaking engagements.
On August 5, 2020, the Sussex Royal Foundation was renamed "MWX Foundation" and dissolved the same day.
In September 2020, the Sussexes signed a five-year private commercial deal with Netflix.
In October 2020, the website for the Archewell Foundation was officially launched.
Beginning in early 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan incorporated 11 companies and a trust including Orinoco Publishing LLC and Peca Publishing LLC to hold the rights for their books as well as Cobblestone Lane LLC and IPHW LLC which are holders of their foundation's logos.
In February 2021, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duke of Sussex would give up his position as Captain General Royal Marines and relinquish all his other honorary military appointments.
In February 2021, Harry stepped down as the president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
In February 2021, Prince Harry's honorary military appointments were returned to Queen Elizabeth II.
In March 2021, Prince Harry became the chief impact officer at BetterUp and was appointed as a commissioner for the Aspen Institute's Commission on Information Disorder.
In April 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan were announced as campaign chairs for Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, an event organised by Global Citizen to increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations. They also announced their support for a vaccine equity fundraiser initiated by the same organisation, and penned an open letter to the pharmaceutical industry CEOs urging them to address the vaccine equity crisis. He also narrated "Hope Starts Here", a special video rereleased by African Parks to mark the Earth Day in which he urged organisations and communities to preserve biodiversity and paid tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip for his efforts as a conservationist.
In May 2021, "The Me You Can't See", the documentary series co-created and executive produced by Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey, was released on Apple TV+.
In May 2021, Prince Harry publicly lent his support to Peak State, a mental fitness programme aimed at providing tools and resources for managing mental health, which he helped establish.
In June 2021, after ten members of the HALO Trust were killed by an armed group at a mine clearance camp in Afghanistan, Prince Harry issued a statement saying the attack "was nothing less than an act of barbarism".
In July 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received the Change Champions Award from Population Matters for their decision to have only two children.
In July 2021, it was announced that Prince Harry was set to publish his memoir Spare via Penguin Random House, with Harry reportedly earning an advance of at least $20 million.
In September 2021, Prince Harry, together with First Lady Jill Biden, hosted a virtual event for the Warrior Games, which were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In October 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan announced their partnership with Ethic, a sustainable investment firm based in New York City, which also manages the couple's investments.
In October 2021, Prince Harry spoke against oil drilling in the Okavango River in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
In November 2021, Harry stated that he emailed Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, the day before the January 6 United States Capitol attack to warn of potential civil unrest but received no response. In the same month, Conservative MP Johnny Mercer mentioned that the Duke of Sussex supported waiving visa fees for foreign-born UK veterans and their families.
In November 2021, the Aspen Institute's Commission on Information Disorder, on which Prince Harry served as a commissioner, published its report with 15 recommendations.
In 2021, Prince Harry stepped down from MapAction and the London Marathon Charitable Trust, where he had previously granted his patronage.
In February 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were selected to receive the NAACP's President's Award for their work on causes related to social justice and equity.
In March 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan were among more than a hundred people who signed an open letter published by the People's Vaccine Alliance, asking for free global access to COVID-19 vaccines and calling out the UK, EU and Switzerland for opposing a waiver that would allow vaccine intellectual property protections to be lifted.
In April 2022, Prince Harry launched an eco-travel campaign through his non-profit Travalyst, encouraging people to travel sustainably in a video featuring Rhys Darby and Dave Fane on Māori Television.
In April 2022, reports emerged of criticism by BetterUp's coaches over the new metrics placed for evaluating their services and over the opacity surrounding Prince Harry's actual role in the firm.
In October 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan were named as Ripple of Hope Award laureates for their work on racial justice, mental health, and other social initiatives through their foundation Archewell.
On December 8, 2022, Harry & Meghan, a docuseries about the Sussexes produced by Netflix and Archewell Productions, premiered. The series was directed by Liz Garbus and received mixed reviews.
In 2022, Sunshine Sachs stopped representing Harry and Meghan.
On January 10, 2023, Prince Harry's memoir Spare was officially published in 16 languages and has since become the UK's fastest-selling non-fiction book, with 400,000 confirmed sales on publication day. $1.5 million of the proceeds were pledged to Sentebale and £300,000 to WellChild.
In June 2023, Spotify announced they would not proceed with the deal with the Sussexes, cancelling Archetypes after one season.
In November 2023, Prince Harry was named global ambassador for Scotty's Little Soldiers, one of the seven charities which he and his wife had invited people to support in lieu of giving them wedding presents.
In 2023, Prince Harry was appointed a member of the board of directors of African Parks, a conservation NGO, after serving as its president since December 2017.
In April 2024, it was announced that Archewell Productions is working with Netflix to produce two new shows – on lifestyle and on polo – for the streaming platform.
Following Prince Harry and Meghan's trip to Nigeria in May 2024, it was argued that the couple could have been used by the royal family. In the same year Harry's role as founder of Travalyst was recognised in the second edition of the Time 100 Climate list.
In December 2024, the Polo docuseries produced by Archewell Productions for Netflix was released and was a critical and commercial disappointment.
In August 2025, Archewell Productions renewed its partnership with Netflix under a multi-year first-look deal, which included plans for other documentary and scripted projects.
In October 2025, Prince Harry and his wife received the Humanitarians of the Year award at Project Healthy Minds' annual gala in New York City in recognition of their commitment to mental health support.
In 2026, Sunshine Sachs was rehired to represent Harry and Meghan.
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