Prince Harry is going to join the Australian Army in April. The Australian Defence Force has announced that his “challenging program” will include Sydney, Perth and Darwin.

Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin said that the prince would have an “opportunity to gain greater insight into the Army's domestic operating environment and capabilities.” The Chief of the Defence Force said that a “challenging program” had been prepared for the prince. “Captain Wales” will be deployed on “urban and field training exercises, domestic deployments.” He will also participate in Indigenous engagement activities, he said.

Binskin added that he was happy that the prince would have a “first hand” experience of what the ADF was doing to support wounded, injured and ill members. The prince undertook a three-week trek in Antarctica in 2014 to support injured veterans.

Prince Harry’s service for the Australian army is going to be an extension of his usual British army duties. Binskin mentioned that the British and Australian armies had a shared military history. The armies have a “long and enduring association" as well, he said.

The prince is going to attend centenary commemorations of the World War I Gallipoli campaign in Turkey on April 25. It was also reported that the prince would leave the British Army in June. The prince said that it was a “really tough decision” to leave the army.

Harry said that he had served with some “incredible people” during a couple of tours of Afghanistan. He said that the experiences he had had over the last 10 years would stay with him for the rest of his life. He added that he would always be “hugely grateful” for that.

According to the Australian Defence Association think tank Chief Executive Neil James, the prince may be attached at an armed reconnaissance helicopter squadron in the northern city of Darwin. He may also work with an aviation unit supporting a commando regiment in the east coast city of Sydney.

Prince Harry will be on an official tour of New Zealand after his time with the Australian Army. Thereafter, he will be engaged in voluntary conservation work in sub-Saharan Africa.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au

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