Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
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. He is the younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Currently fifth in line to the British throne, Harry's life has been marked by both royal duties and personal challenges. He served in the British Army, including tours in Afghanistan. In recent years, he and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stepped down as senior working royals and relocated to the United States. Their decision stemmed from a desire for greater privacy and freedom from intense media scrutiny. They now pursue philanthropic and entrepreneurial endeavors through their organization, Archewell.
September 2004: Passing the Regular Commissions Board
In September 2004, Prince Harry passed the Regular Commissions Board (RCB).
2004: First Tour to Mants'ase Children's Home
In 2004, Harry first toured Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek in Lesotho.
May 2005: Entry into Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
On May 8, 2005, Prince Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, beginning his formal training as an army officer.
April 2006: Commissioned as Cornet in the Blues and Royals
In April 2006, Prince Harry completed his officer training and was commissioned as a Cornet (second lieutenant) in the Blues and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry in the British Army.
October 2006: Completion of Troop Leaders' Course
In October 2006, Prince Harry completed the Troop Leaders' Course and rejoined his regiment in Windsor.
2006: Visit to Mants'ase Children's Home
In 2006, Harry visited Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek in Lesotho, which he had first toured in 2004.
2007: Concert for Diana
In 2007, Harry and William organised the Concert for Diana, in memory of their mother, which benefited the charities and patronages of Diana, William, and Harry.
2007: First Deployment to Afghanistan
In 2007, Prince Harry was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, for ten weeks, marking his first active duty in a war zone.
April 2008: Promotion to Lieutenant
In April 2008, after reaching two years' seniority, Prince Harry was promoted to lieutenant in the British Army.
May 2008: Awarded Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan
In May 2008, Princess Anne presented Prince Harry with an Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan at the Combermere Barracks.
October 2008: Enduro Africa Motorbike Ride
In October 2008, 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.
October 2008: Learning to Fly Military Helicopters
In October 2008, it was announced that Prince Harry would follow his brother, father and uncle in learning to fly military helicopters at RAF Shawbury.
2008: Return from Afghanistan
In 2007-2008, Prince Harry concludes his ten week deployment in Helmand Province.
February 2009: Failed Pilot's Theory Test
In February 2009, Prince Harry initially failed his pilot's theory test at the Defence Helicopter Flying School.
September 2009: Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry Set Up
In September 2009, William and Harry set up The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry to enable them to take forward their charitable ambitions.
May 2010: Receives Flying Brevet
On 7 May 2010, Prince Charles presented Prince Harry with his flying brevet (wings) at a ceremony at the Army Air Corps Base (AAC), Middle Wallop.
2010: Served as RFU's Vice-Royal Patron
In 2010, Prince Harry served as the RFU's vice-royal patron, supporting the Queen as patron.
April 2011: Awarded Apache Flying Badge and Promotion to Captain
In April 2011, Prince Harry was awarded his Apache Flying Badge and promoted to captain in the British Army.
June 2011: Available for Deployment as Apache Helicopter Pilot
In June 2011, Clarence House announced that Prince Harry would be available for deployment in current operations in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot.
2011: Walking With The Wounded Trip
In 2011 Harry took part in an unfinished trip to the North Pole with Walking With The Wounded.
September 2012: Deployment to Afghanistan as Apache Co-Pilot Gunner
On 7 September 2012, Prince Harry arrived at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan to begin a four-month combat tour as a co-pilot and gunner for an Apache helicopter.
2012: Second Deployment to Afghanistan
In 2012, Prince Harry was deployed for twenty weeks to Afghanistan with the Army Air Corps, marking his second tour of duty.
2012: Launched Coach Core
In 2012, Prince Harry, along with his brother and sister-in-law, launched Coach Core, a program providing apprenticeship opportunities for aspiring professional coaches, following the 2012 Olympics.
January 2013: Return from Deployment in Afghanistan
On 21 January 2013, it was announced that Prince Harry was returning from a 20-week deployment in Afghanistan.
May 2013: Official visit to the United States
Between 9 and 15 May 2013, Harry made an official visit to the United States to promote the rehabilitation of injured troops, support his charities, and back British interests.
July 2013: Qualification as Apache Aircraft Commander
On 8 July 2013, the Ministry of Defence announced that Prince Harry had successfully qualified as an Apache aircraft commander.
December 2013: Expedition to the South Pole
In December 2013, Harry joined Walking With The Wounded's 200-mile expedition to the South Pole in Antarctica.
2013: Return from Afghanistan
In 2012-2013, Prince Harry concludes his second twenty week deployment in Afghanistan.
2013: Named as patron of the HALO Trust's 25th Anniversary Appeal
In 2013 Harry was named as patron of the HALO Trust's 25th Anniversary Appeal.
January 2014: Completes Army Air Corps attachment, takes staff officer role
In January 2014, Prince Harry completed his attachment to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps. He then took up a staff officer role, SO3 (Defence Engagement) in HQ London District, where his responsibilities included coordinating significant projects and commemorative events involving the Army in London. He was based at Horse Guards in central London.
March 2014: Harry launches Invictus Games
On 6 March 2014, Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting event for injured servicemen and women, which was scheduled to be held later in the year. This marked a significant step in his efforts to support and honor wounded veterans.
April 2014: Harry meets Invictus Games hopefuls
On 29 April 2014, Prince Harry met with British hopefuls for the Invictus Games at Tedworth House in Wiltshire. This meeting marked the start of the selection process for the Games.
May 2014: Harry attends Invictus Games ticket launch
On 15 May 2014, Prince Harry attended a ticket sale launch for the Invictus Games at BT Tower. As president of the Games, he tweeted from the Invictus Games' official Twitter account to promote the event.
July 2014: Harry promotes Invictus Games on BBC Radio 2
In July 2014, Prince Harry was interviewed by Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2 along with two Invictus Games hopefuls to promote the Games. He emphasized that organizing the Invictus Games was his "full-time job at the moment". The show aired on 31 July 2014.
August 2014: Harry attends British Armed Forces Team announcement for Invictus Games
In August 2014, Prince Harry and officials attended the British Armed Forces Team announcement for the Invictus Games at Potters Field Park. As president of the Invictus Games, he continued his active role in promoting and supporting the event.
September 2014: Invictus Games held
From 10-14 September 2014, the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting event for injured servicemen and women took place.
2014: Launch of the Invictus Games
In 2014, Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games as founding patron, inspired by the Warrior Games in the United States, to support wounded, injured, or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans.
January 2015: Harry takes on new role supporting wounded service personnel
In January 2015, it was reported that Prince Harry would take on a new role in 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.
March 2015: Harry visits Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison
In February and March 2015, Prince Harry visited Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, a recovery centre run by Help for Heroes. He also visited Merville Barracks in Colchester where Chavasse VC House Personnel Recovery Centre is located.
March 2015: Harry to leave Armed Forces in June
On 17 March 2015, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry would leave the Armed Forces in June. Before his departure, he would spend four weeks in April and May seconded to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
April 2015: Harry reports for duty with Australian Defence Force
On 6 April 2015, Prince Harry reported for duty to Australia's Chief of the Defence Force at the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra, Australia. He then began his month-long secondment to the ADF's 1st Brigade in Darwin, where he participated in various training exercises, including those with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and urban operations training.
May 2015: Harry's attachment with ADF ends
On 8 May 2015, Prince Harry's attachment with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) came to an end, marking the conclusion of his secondment.
June 2015: Harry resigns his short service commission
On 19 June 2015, Prince Harry officially resigned his short service commission, concluding his active service in the British Armed Forces.
October 2015: Walk of Britain
As patron of Walk of Britain, Harry walked with the team on October 2015.
October 2015: Launch of Invictus Games Orlando 2016
In October 2015, Harry launched the Invictus Games Orlando 2016 with First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden at Fort Belvoir.
November 2015: Visit to Lesotho for Sentebale opening
In November 2015, Harry, as patron of Sentebale, traveled to Lesotho to attend the opening of the Mamohato Children's Centre.
December 2015: Official Visit to South Africa
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. Harry also played the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, at Val de Vie Estate in Cape Town, fundraising for Sentebale.
March 2016: Visit to Nepal and Reconstruction Work
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.
July 2016: HIV Test Live
On July 14, 2016, to raise awareness for HIV testing, Harry took a test live on the royal family Facebook page. He later attended the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, on July 21, 2016.
January 2017: Visited the Running Charity and Depaul UK
In January 2017, Prince Harry visited the Running Charity and its partner Depaul UK to emphasize the role of sports in assisting homeless and vulnerable individuals.
April 2017: Landmine Free 2025 Reception
In April 2017, 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.
December 2017: Guest Edited BBC Radio 4's Today Programme
In December 2017, Harry guest edited BBC Radio 4's Today programme, conducting interviews on various issues.
December 2017: Harry becomes Captain General Royal Marines
On 19 December 2017, Prince Harry succeeded his grandfather Prince Philip as the Captain General Royal Marines, taking on a significant honorary military appointment.
April 2018: Appointed Commonwealth Youth Ambassador and President of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust
In April 2018, Harry was appointed Commonwealth Youth Ambassador and became the president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
May 2018: Harry promoted to Lieutenant Commander, Major, and Squadron Leader
In May 2018, Prince Harry was promoted to the substantive ranks of Lieutenant Commander of the Royal Navy, Major of the British Army, and Squadron Leader of the Royal Air Force, marking a significant recognition of his service and dedication.
July 2018: Launch of MenStar Coalition
In July 2018, the Elton John AIDS Foundation announced that Harry and Elton John were about to launch a global coalition called MenStar to focus on treating HIV infections in men.
August 2018: Royal Canadian Legion Founders Award
In August 2018, the Royal Canadian Legion granted Harry the 2018 Founders Award for his role in founding the Invictus Games.
October 2018: RSA Badge in Gold
In October 2018, Harry received the RSA Badge in Gold for his work with injured veterans.
October 2018: Pacific Tour and Invictus Games in Sydney
In October 2018, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex travelled to Sydney for the 2018 Invictus Games, part of a Pacific tour including Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.
April 2019: Documentary Series Announcement
In April 2019, it was announced that Harry was working as co-creator and executive producer on a documentary series about mental health together with Oprah Winfrey.
May 2019: Launch of Shout
In May 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex together with Harry's brother and sister-in-law launched Shout, the UK's first 24/7 text messaging service for those who suffer from mental issues.
June 2019: Harry Left the Charity
In June 2019, Harry left the charity that he and William had set up.
June 2019: Split from The Royal Foundation
In June 2019, it was announced that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would split from The Royal Foundation to establish their own charity foundation.
September 2019: De-mining Site Visit in Angola
In September 2019, Harry walked through a de-mining site in Angola, the same country visited by his mother 22 years earlier.
September 2019: Couple Hired New York-Based PR Firm Sunshine Sachs
In September 2019, it was reported that Harry and his wife hired New York-based PR firm Sunshine Sachs, which represented them until 2022.
September 2019: Launch of Travalyst
In September 2019, the Duke launched Travalyst during his visit to the Netherlands after two years of development, an initiative to encourage sustainable practices in the travel industry.
October 2019: "Every Mind Matters" Announcement
In October 2019, along with other members of the royal family, Harry voiced a Public Health England announcement, for the "Every Mind Matters" mental health program.
November 2019: Interview with HIV+ Rugby Player
In November 2019, to mark the National HIV Testing Week, the Duke interviewed HIV+ Rugby player Gareth Thomas on behalf of the trust.
January 2020: Decision to Step Back
In January 2020, Harry and his wife announced their decision to step back from royal duties.
January 2020: Stepping Down as Working Royals
In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as working royals, signaling a major shift in their roles within the British royal family.
January 2020: Announcement of stepping back from royal duties
In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess announced that they were stepping back from their role as senior members of the royal family.
January 2020: Agreement reached for Harry to step back from Royal duties
On 18 January 2020, Buckingham Palace announced that an agreement had been reached for Prince Harry "to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments", marking a significant change in his role within the Royal Family.
February 2020: Recorded "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi
In February 2020, Harry recorded a new version of the song "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi.
February 2020: "Sussex Royal" Brand Discontinued
On February 21, 2020, it was confirmed that "Sussex Royal" would not be used as a brand name for the couple following their withdrawal from public life.
March 2020: Final Solo and Couple Engagements as Senior Royals
In March 2020, Harry attended the opening of the Silverstone Experience, his final solo engagement. Harry and Meghan attended the Commonwealth Day service on 9 March 2020, their last engagement as a couple before officially stepping down on 31 March.
March 2020: End of Commonwealth Youth Ambassador Role
In March 2020, Harry's tenure as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador came to an end.
March 2020: Release of "Unbroken"
In March 2020, the song was released the proceeds of which were donated to the Invictus Games Foundation.
April 2020: Launch of HeadFIT
In April 2020, Harry launched a new initiative named HeadFIT, a platform designed to provide mental support for members of the armed forces.
April 2020: Archewell Foundation Announced
In April 2020, Meghan and Harry announced that their new foundation would be called "Archewell", inspired by the Greek word "arche".
June 2020: Signed with Harry Walker Agency
In June 2020, Harry and Meghan signed with the Harry Walker Agency to conduct paid public speaking engagements.
June 2020: Backed Stop Hate for Profit Campaign
In June 2020, the Duke and Duchess backed the Stop Hate for Profit campaign and encouraged CEOs of different companies to join the movement.
August 2020: Sussex Royal Foundation Renamed and Dissolved
On August 5, 2020, the Sussex Royal Foundation was renamed "MWX Foundation" and dissolved the same day.
September 2020: Commercial Deal with Netflix
In September 2020, the Sussexes signed a private commercial deal with Netflix to produce content.
October 2020: Archewell Website Launched
In October 2020, the Archewell website was officially launched.
2020: Incorporation of Companies and Trust
Beginning in early 2020, 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.
February 2021: Harry relinquishes honorary military appointments
In February 2021, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry would give up his position as Captain General Royal Marines and hand back all other honorary military appointments, formalizing his withdrawal from these roles.
February 2021: Resigned as President of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust
In February 2021, Harry resigned as president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
March 2021: Becomes Chief Impact Officer at BetterUp
In March 2021, Harry became the first chief impact officer at BetterUp, a mental health start-up.
April 2021: Campaign Chairs for Vax Live
In April 2021, 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.
May 2021: Support for Peak State
In May 2021, Harry lent his support to Peak State, a mental fitness programme aimed at providing tools and resources for managing mental health.
May 2021: Release of "The Me You Can't See"
The documentary series "The Me You Can't See", co-created and executive produced by Harry and Oprah Winfrey, was released on May 21, 2021.
June 2021: Statement on HALO Trust Attack
In June 2021, after ten members of the HALO Trust were killed by an armed group at a mine clearance camp in Afghanistan, Harry issued a statement condemning the attack.
July 2021: Change Champions Award
In July 2021, Harry and Meghan received the Change Champions Award from Population Matters for deciding to have only two children to help maintain a smaller population.
July 2021: Memoir Publishing Deal
In July 2021, it was announced that Harry was set to publish his memoir Spare via Penguin Random House, reportedly earning an advance of at least $20 million.
September 2021: Virtual event for the Warrior Games
In September 2021, Prince Harry, along with First Lady Jill Biden, hosted a virtual event for the Warrior Games, which had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 2021: Partnership with Ethic Announced
In October 2021, Harry and Meghan announced their partnership with Ethic, a sustainable investment firm.
October 2021: Spoke Against Oil Drilling
In October 2021, Prince Harry voiced his opposition against oil drilling in the Okavango River, expressing his concerns in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
November 2021: Publication of Aspen Institute's Report
In November 2021, the Aspen Institute's Commission on Information Disorder published its report with 15 recommendations, for which Harry was a commissioner.
2021: Harry stepped down from London Marathon Charitable Trust
In 2021 Harry stepped down from the London Marathon Charitable Trust.
2021: Travalyst and Google Partnership
In 2021 the organization Travalyst, founded by Harry, announced a partnership with Google.
February 2022: NAACP President's Award
In February 2022, Harry and Meghan received the NAACP's President's Award for their work on social justice and equity.
March 2022: Signed Open Letter for Vaccine Access
In March 2022, Prince Harry and his wife were among over a hundred signatories of an open letter by the People's Vaccine Alliance, advocating for free global access to COVID-19 vaccines, criticizing the UK, EU, and Switzerland for opposing a waiver on vaccine intellectual property protections.
April 2022: Launched Eco-Travel Campaign
In April 2022, Prince Harry launched an eco-travel campaign through his non-profit Travalyst, encouraging sustainable travel in a video featuring Rhys Darby and Dave Fane on Māori Television.
October 2022: Ripple of Hope Award
In October 2022, Harry and Meghan were named Ripple of Hope Award laureates for their work on racial justice, mental health, and social initiatives through Archewell.
December 2022: Harry & Meghan Docuseries Premiered on Netflix
Harry & Meghan, a docuseries about the Sussexes, produced by Netflix and the couple's Archewell Productions, premiered on December 8, 2022.
January 2023: Publication of "Spare"
On January 10, 2023, Harry's memoir, Spare, was officially published and became the UK's fastest selling non-fiction book.
June 2023: Spotify Cancels Archetypes Deal
In June 2023, Spotify announced they would not proceed with the deal, cancelling Archetypes which had run for a single season of 12 episodes.
November 2023: Named Global Ambassador for Scotty's Little Soldiers
In November 2023, Prince Harry became the global ambassador for Scotty's Little Soldiers, one of the seven charities he and his wife suggested for wedding gifts.
2023: Harry Appointed as Member of African Parks
In 2023 Harry was appointed a member of its board of directors for African Parks.
April 2024: New Shows with Netflix
In April 2024, it was announced that Archewell Productions is working with Netflix to produce two new shows – on lifestyle and on polo.
May 2024: Visit to Nigeria
In May 2024, Harry and Meghan visited Nigeria to honour the work of the Invictus Games, focusing on sports rehabilitation, mental health, and women's empowerment.
2025: Landmine Free 2025
In April 2017, Harry hosted the Landmine Free 2025 reception at Kensington Palace. In 2025, the initiative aims to rid the world of landmines.
