Prince Harry Excluded from Prestigious Military Book

Prince Harry's absence from a revered book honoring Sandhurst's elite alumni has sparked controversy, with a prominent army officer labeling it a deliberate snub.

Despite his brother Prince William securing a spot in the top 200 individuals trained at the Armed Forces Military College, Prince Harry failed to make the cut, even after contributing to the exclusive guide.

The book, entitled “They Also Served,” showcases narratives of military personnel who participated in significant conflicts like World War I, World War II, and the Gulf War.

Surprisingly, singer James Blunt earned a place in the book for his service in Kosovo before embarking on a successful music career.

The decision to exclude Prince Harry from “They Also Served” has ignited a storm of criticism, aligning him with other military figures like fascist leaders Sir Oswald Mosley and Benson Freeman, who joined the Nazi party to become a Waffen SS officer.

This exclusion follows the release of a controversial memoir titled “Spare,” where Prince Harry claimed to have eliminated 25 Taliban fighters, referring to them as mere pawns in a game rather than human beings.

Such assertions have triggered outrage among military circles, with former British Army Colonel Richard Kemp denouncing them as a betrayal of his comrades.

In response to the backlash over Prince Harry's omission from the book, Mr. Kemp expressed understanding for the decision while acknowledging the prince's significance in attending Sandhurst.

However, he emphasized that Prince Harry's portrayal of viewing enemies as subhuman contradicted military principles.

The author of the book, Vaughan Kent Payne, highlighted that not all Sandhurst trainees were virtuous, noting the presence of individuals with questionable allegiances.

Prince Harry completed a rigorous 44-week training program at Sandhurst in 2005 and subsequently served as an officer in the Household Cavalry Blues and Royals from April 2006.

His military career included two deployments to Afghanistan, where he fulfilled roles as a forward air controller and an Apache pilot.

In contrast, Prince William commenced his Sandhurst training in 2006, later engaging in operations with the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy before retiring in 2013.

“They Also Served” features accounts of 200 exceptional figures who underwent training at Sandhurst, including luminaries such as Winston Churchill, Muthala Mohamed, and David Niven.

The book underscores that due to Prince William's future duties as king, he was precluded from active military service unlike his brother Harry.

Prince Harry's candid revelations in his memoir about his wartime experiences, where he admitted to dehumanizing his adversaries, elicited strong rebuke from the military community.

Former Royal Marine Ben McBean, previously lauded by Prince Harry for his bravery despite suffering severe injuries, urged the Duke to exercise restraint in his disclosures.

Meanwhile, serving independent MP Bob Stewart criticized Prince Harry's remarks as distasteful, suggesting that true soldiers typically refrain from boasting about their combat actions.

The unfolding saga surrounding Prince Harry's military legacy continues to generate debate and reflection within military and public spheres alike.