Prince Harry finds himself conspicuously absent from an esteemed book celebrating Sandhurst's top alumni, a perceived snub that has drawn criticism from a high-ranking Army Commander.
Despite his brother, Prince William, making the cut and even contributing to the book's foreword, Prince Harry failed to secure a spot among the military Academy's top 200 individuals trained at the Armed Forces Military College.
The exclusive guide, titled "They Also Served," showcases stories of military personnel involved in conflicts like World War I, World War II, and the Gulf War. Surprisingly, even musician James Blunt earned a place in the book for his military service in Kosovo before his successful singing career. Prince Harry's exclusion places him alongside controversial figures like fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley and Benson Freeman, who joined the Nazi party, becoming a Waffen-SS officer.
This exclusion follows the release of Prince Harry's controversial memoir nearly a year ago, where he claimed to have killed 25 Taliban fighters and referred to them as "chess pieces" rather than people. This assertion has stirred anger among military personnel, with former British army colonel Richard Kemp condemning it as a betrayal.
Reacting to the decision to omit Prince Harry from the book, Kemp acknowledged the controversial nature of the exclusion, suggesting that recent disharmony within the royal family may have influenced the decision. He highlighted the discrepancy between Prince Harry's portrayal of viewing enemies as less than human and the principles taught in the military.
The book's author, Vaughan Kent Payne, notes that not every Sandhurst-trained individual was commendable, mentioning a "smattering of traitors and cads." Prince Harry completed the 44-week training course at Sandhurst in 2005 and served a decade in the Army, undertaking two tours in Afghanistan. In contrast, Prince William, who entered Sandhurst in 2006, served in attachments with the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy before retiring in 2013.
"They Also Served" features stories of 200 outstanding individuals who trained at Sandhurst, including figures like Winston Churchill and David Niven. The book explains that Prince William's future duty as king prevented him from being deployed on military duty, unlike Prince Harry.
In his memoir, Prince Harry revealed his detachment from the casualties of war, describing them as "chess pieces." This admission triggered backlash from the military community, with former Royal Marine Ben McBean urging Prince Harry to refrain from such commentary, while MP Bob Stewart labeled the comments as distasteful, questioning why a real soldier would boast about such experiences.
