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. As the younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, he holds the fifth position in the line of succession to the British throne. He served in the British Army, undertaking two tours of Afghanistan. In recent years, he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down as senior members of the royal family, relocating to the United States. They have since established the Archewell Foundation, focusing on charitable endeavors and media production. Harry has been vocal about mental health awareness and veterans' affairs, becoming a notable public figure beyond his royal lineage.
September 2004: Passing the Regular Commissions Board
In September 2004, Prince Harry passed the Regular Commissions Board (RCB).
2004: First Tour of Mants'ase Children's Home
In 2004, Prince Harry first toured the Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek in Lesotho, which later influenced his charitable work.
May 2005: Entry into Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
On 8 May 2005, Prince Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
April 2006: Commissioning as Cornet
In April 2006, Prince Harry completed his officer training and was commissioned as a Cornet in the Blues and Royals.
April 2006: Announcement of Potential Iraq Deployment
In April 2006, it was announced that Prince Harry's unit was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq the following year, sparking public debate over his service there and the Ministry of Defence stated that Harry would be shielded from the front line if his unit went to war.
October 2006: Completion of Troop Leaders' Course
In October 2006, Prince Harry completed the Troop Leaders' Course and rejoined his regiment in Windsor.
2006: Start of Engagement Count
Between 2006 and 2019, Prince Harry completed 1,190 engagements.
2006: Visit to Mants'ase Children's Home and Launch of Sentebale
In 2006, Prince Harry visited Mants'ase Children's Home in Lesotho, which he had previously toured in 2004, and together with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, launched Sentebale: The Princes' Fund for Lesotho to help children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
2007: Deployment to Helmand Province
During 2007, Prince Harry was deployed for ten weeks in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, marking his first active service.
February 2008: Deployment to Afghanistan Revealed
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 but was immediately withdrawn due to publicity concerns.
April 2008: Promotion to Lieutenant
On 13 April 2008, Prince Harry was promoted to lieutenant in the British Army.
May 2008: Awarded Operational Service Medal
In May 2008, Princess Anne presented Prince Harry with the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan at Combermere Barracks, recognizing his service in a war zone.
October 2008: Announcement of Helicopter Training
In October 2008, it was announced that Prince Harry would learn to fly military helicopters.
2008: Helmand Province Service
In 2007-2008, Prince Harry served for ten weeks in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
January 2009: Establishment of Own Royal Household
On January 6, 2009, The Queen granted Prince Harry and Prince William their own royal household. Previously, their affairs had been managed by their father's office at Clarence House.
February 2009: Failed Pilot's Theory Test
In February 2009, Prince Harry initially failed his pilot's theory test.
May 2010: Awarded Flying Brevet
On 7 May 2010, Prince Charles presented Prince Harry with his flying brevet at a ceremony at the Army Air Corps Base.
April 2011: Awarded Apache Flying Badge
On 14 April 2011, Prince Harry was awarded his Apache Flying Badge and was promoted to captain on 16 April.
June 2011: Availability for Deployment as Apache 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.
October 2011: Transfer to US Military Base for Training
In October 2011, Prince Harry was transferred to a United States military base in California to complete his helicopter gunship training.
March 2012: Official Visit to Belize, Bahamas, Jamaica and Brazil
In March 2012, Prince Harry led an official visit to Belize as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. He then visited the Bahamas and Jamaica, where the Prime Minister was considering turning Jamaica into a republic. He subsequently visited Brazil to attend the GREAT Campaign.
September 2012: Arrival in Afghanistan for Combat Tour
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. On 10 September, the Taliban threatened his life. On 18 September, Harry was moved to a safe location after a Taliban attack on Camp Bastion.
2012: Army Air Corps Deployment
In 2012, Prince Harry served for twenty weeks with the Army Air Corps in Afghanistan.
January 2013: Return from Afghanistan Deployment
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 US
Between 9 and 15 May 2013, Prince Harry made an official visit to the US, promoting the rehabilitation of injured troops, publicising his charities, and supporting British interests. He visited Washington, DC, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and met survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey.
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: South Pole Expedition
In December 2013, Prince Harry participated in 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.
2013: Army Air Corps Deployment
In 2012-2013, Prince Harry served for twenty weeks with the Army Air Corps in Afghanistan.
2013: First meeting with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
In 2013, Prince Harry first met with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, a Saudi businessman who later donated to Harry's charity Sentebale.
2013: Patron of HALO Trust's 25th Anniversary Appeal
In 2013, Prince Harry was named as patron of the HALO Trust's 25th Anniversary Appeal.
January 2014: Harry takes staff officer role in London District
In January 2014, Prince Harry completed his attachment to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and assumed the staff officer role of SO3 (Defence Engagement) in HQ London District, coordinating Army projects and commemorative events in London.
March 2014: Harry launches Invictus Games
On March 6, 2014, Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting event for injured servicemen and women, scheduled to be held in September.
April 2014: Harry meets Invictus Games hopefuls
On April 29, 2014, Prince Harry met with British hopefuls for the Invictus Games at Tedworth House in Wiltshire, marking the start of the selection process for the Games.
May 2014: Harry attends Invictus Games ticket launch
On May 15, 2014, Prince Harry attended a ticket-sale launch for the Invictus Games at the BT Tower, tweeting from the Games' official Twitter account as its president.
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.
September 2014: Harry attends Invictus Games events
In September 2014, Prince Harry, as president of the Invictus Games, attended all events related to the competition from the 8th to the 14th.
November 2014: Opened the Field of Remembrance
On 6 November 2014, Prince Harry opened the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, a task usually performed by Prince Philip.
2014: Continued meetings with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
In 2014, Prince Harry had continued meetings with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who made donations to Sentebale and Walking With The Wounded.
2014: Invictus Games Founding
In 2014, inspired by the Warrior Games, Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games and has remained actively involved as its patron.
January 2015: Harry supports wounded service personnel in new role
In January 2015, Prince Harry took on a new role supporting wounded service personnel, working with the London District's Personal Recovery Unit and visiting recovery centers such as The Battle Back Centre and Fisher House UK.
March 2015: Harry visits Phoenix House
In March 2015, Prince Harry visited Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, a recovery center run by Help for Heroes.
March 2015: Harry to leave Armed Forces in June
On March 17, 2015, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry would leave the Armed Forces in June, after spending four weeks with the Australian Defence Force and then working voluntarily with the Ministry of Defence.
April 2015: Visits to Australian War Memorial and Gallipoli Centenary
In April 2015, Prince 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.
May 2015: Harry's attachment with ADF ends
On May 8, 2015, Prince Harry's attachment with the Australian Defence Force ended.
June 2015: Harry resigns his short service commission
On June 19, 2015, Prince Harry resigned his short service commission.
October 2015: Invictus Games Orlando 2016 Launch
In October 2015, Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games Orlando 2016 with First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden at Fort Belvoir. He also attended an Invictus Games board meeting and a reception at the British Ambassador's Residence.
October 2015: Walk of Britain
In October 2015, as patron of Walk of Britain, Prince Harry walked with the team on the 30th and 20th of the month.
November 2015: Opening of Mamohato Children's Centre in Lesotho
In November 2015, Prince Harry, as patron of Sentebale, travelled 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, Prince Harry made an official visit to South Africa. He visited Cape Town, presented the insignia of the Order of the Companions of Honour to the Archbishop, and played the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, fundraising for Sentebale.
July 2016: HIV Awareness Campaign
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.
2016: Co-founding Heads Together
In 2016, Prince Harry, along with Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, co-founded Heads Together, a mental health awareness initiative.
January 2017: Visit to the Running Charity and Depaul UK
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.
April 2017: Landmine Free 2025 Reception
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.
November 2017: Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement is announced
On November 27, 2017, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement was announced by Harry's father.
December 2017: Harry becomes Captain General Royal Marines
On December 19, 2017, Prince Harry succeeded his grandfather Prince Philip as Captain General Royal Marines.
April 2018: Appointed Commonwealth Youth Ambassador and Patron of Walk of America
In April 2018, Prince Harry was appointed Commonwealth Youth Ambassador and became a patron of Walk of America, a campaign involving veterans taking part in a 1,000-mile expedition across the US. He also became the president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
July 2018: First Overseas Visit as a Couple to Dublin
In July 2018, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan travelled to Dublin, Ireland, marking their first overseas visit as a couple.
July 2018: Elton John AIDS Foundation Announcement
In July 2018, the Elton John AIDS Foundation announced that the Duke of Sussex and Elton John were about to launch a global coalition called MenStar that would focus "on treating HIV infections in men".
October 2018: Invictus Games in Sydney and Pacific Tour
In October 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan travelled to Sydney for the 2018 Invictus Games as part of a Pacific tour that included Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand.
April 2019: Harry co-creates and executive produces a documentary series about mental health with Oprah Winfrey
In April 2019, it was announced that Harry was working as a co-creator and executive producer on a documentary series about mental health together with Oprah Winfrey. The documentary was initially set to air in 2020 on Apple TV+.
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 and establish their own charity foundation by the end of 2019.
September 2019: Launch of Travalyst
In September 2019, Prince Harry launched Travalyst during his visit to the Netherlands. Travalyst is an initiative to encourage sustainable practices in the travel industry in collaboration with companies including Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Visa Inc.
September 2019: Visit to Angola De-mining Site
In September 2019, Prince Harry walked through a de-mining site in Angola, the same country visited by his mother 22 years earlier.
October 2019: Southern African Tour
In October 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan's Southern African tour included Malawi, Angola, South Africa, and Botswana, marking their first official tour as a family with their infant son Archie. Prince Harry visited the Born Free to Shine project in Luanda and unveiled an initiative to protect an elephant migration route.
November 2019: National HIV Testing Week Interview
In November 2019, to mark National HIV Testing Week, Prince Harry interviewed HIV+ Rugby player Gareth Thomas on behalf of the Terrence Higgins Trust to raise awareness.
January 2020: Stepping Back from Royal Roles
In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family and relocated to Southern California.
January 2020: Harry to step back from Royal duties
On January 18, 2020, Buckingham Palace announced an agreement for Prince Harry to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments.
February 2020: Recording of "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi
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.
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: End of Role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador
In March 2020, Prince Harry's tenure as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador concluded.
March 2020: Release of "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi
On March 27, 2020, the new version of the song "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi, recorded in February, was released, with the proceeds donated to the Invictus Games Foundation.
March 2020: Sussexes cease official engagements
On March 31, 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex's office was moved to Buckingham Palace and officially closed when the Sussexes ceased "undertaking official engagements in support of the Queen".
April 2020: Announcement of Archewell Foundation
In April 2020, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry confirmed that their new foundation, replacing Sussex Royal, would be called "Archewell".
April 2020: Launch of HeadFIT
In April 2020, Prince Harry launched 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.
June 2020: Support for Stop Hate for Profit Campaign
In June 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex backed the Stop Hate for Profit campaign and encouraged CEOs of different companies to join the movement.
August 2020: Renaming and Dissolution of Sussex Royal Foundation
On August 5, 2020, the Sussex Royal Foundation was renamed "MWX Foundation" and dissolved the same day.
October 2020: Official Launch of Archewell Website
In October 2020, the website for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new foundation, Archewell, was officially launched.
December 2020: Lawsuit Against Associated Newspapers Limited
In December 2020, Prince Harry's legal team sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for publishing a story in the Mail on Sunday claiming his relationship with the Royal Marines had suffered after his royal departure. The newspaper later apologized and paid substantial damages to be donated to the Invictus Games Foundation.
February 2021: Resignation as President of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust
In February 2021, Prince Harry stepped down as the president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
February 2021: Harry gives up military appointments
In February 2021, the Palace confirmed that the Duke would relinquish his position as Captain General Royal Marines and all other honorary military appointments.
April 2021: Vax Live Campaign Chairs and Vaccine Equity Support
In April 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were announced as campaign chairs for Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World. They also announced their support for a vaccine equity fundraiser and urged pharmaceutical CEOs to address the vaccine equity crisis.
April 2021: Narration of "Hope Starts Here"
Later in April 2021, Prince Harry narrated "Hope Starts Here", a special video rereleased by African Parks to mark Earth Day, urging organisations to preserve biodiversity and paying tribute to Prince Philip.
May 2021: Support for Peak State
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.
June 2021: Statement on HALO Trust Attack in Afghanistan
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 condemning the attack.
September 2021: Warrior Games Virtual Event
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.
October 2021: Open Letter to G20 Leaders on COVID-19 Vaccines
Also in October 2021, ahead of the 2021 G20 Rome summit, Prince Harry and his wife wrote an open letter with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asking G20 leaders to expedite efforts for the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
October 2021: Op-Ed Against Oil Drilling in Okavango River
In October 2021, Prince Harry spoke against oil drilling in the Okavango River in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
November 2021: Warnings Prior to Capitol Attack
In November 2021, Prince Harry said he emailed Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, the day before the January 6 United States Capitol attack to warn of potential unrest but received no response.
2021: Travalyst Partnership with Google
In 2021, Travalyst announced a partnership with Google.
March 2022: Signing of Open Letter on COVID-19 Vaccine Access
In March 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were among over a hundred people who signed an open letter published by the People's Vaccine Alliance, asking for free global access to COVID-19 vaccines.
April 2022: Launch of Eco-Travel Campaign
In April 2022, Prince Harry launched an eco-travel campaign through Travalyst, encouraging people to travel sustainably, in a video featuring Rhys Darby and Dave Fane on Māori Television.
September 2022: The Sussexes visit the UK and Germany for charity events
In September 2022, the Sussexes visited the UK and Germany for a number of charity events in Manchester and Düsseldorf. On 8 September 2022, while Harry and Meghan were in London preparing to attend a charity event, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and they remained in the United Kingdom for her funeral.
January 2023: Publication of Spare
On 10 January 2023, Harry's memoir, Spare by J. R. Moehringer, was officially published in 16 languages. Spare has since become the UK's fastest-selling non-fiction book with 400,000 confirmed sales in all formats on publication day. Harry announced that $1.5 million of the proceeds from the memoir were pledged to the charity Sentebale, while £300,000 would be given to WellChild.
November 2023: Global Ambassador for Scotty's Little Soldiers
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.
2023: Appointment to African Parks Board of Directors
In 2023, Prince Harry was appointed a member of the board of directors of African Parks, a conservation NGO, after holding the position of president since 2017.
May 2024: Harry and Meghan visit Nigeria
In May 2024, Harry and Meghan visited Nigeria to honour the work of the Invictus Games. According to CNN, their trip focused on "sports rehabilitation, mental health, and women's empowerment".
December 2024: The Polo docuseries released on Netflix
In December 2024, The Polo docuseries, produced by Archewell Productions, was released on Netflix and was a critical and commercial disappointment.
August 2025: Renewal of Archewell Productions partnership with Netflix
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.
September 2025: Calling for a Global Ban on Superintelligence Development
In September 2025, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined a coalition of public figures, scientists, and tech experts in signing an open letter calling for a global ban on the development of artificial superintelligence until there is strong scientific consensus and public support.
October 2025: Received the Humanitarians of the Year award
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.
2025: Landmine Free 2025 target
In April 2017, Prince Harry hosted the Landmine Free 2025 reception at Kensington Palace. 2025 was the targeted year to be landmine free
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