Prince Harry reveals what he wants his children to know about his service in British Army

‘Finding your purpose is one of the most gratifying experiences’

(Getty Images for Invictus Games )

Prince Harry has opened up what he learned in the military and how he hopes to pass that knowledge down to his two children.

The Duke of Sussex discussed what he wants to tell his two-year-old son Archie and 10-month old daughter Lilibet, who he shares with wife Meghan Markle, about his 10 years in the British Army during a recent interview with People. According to Prince Harry, his service allowed him to be there “for others” and taught him the importance of “finding your purpose.”

“That I am grateful for every experience I had in and out of my uniform,” he said, in regards to what he wants his children to know about his time in the army. “That I learned how to be in true service for others.”

“That finding your purpose is one of the most gratifying experiences,” he continued. “And that working hard should be fulfilling and rewarding at the same time.”

He recalled that, while in the Army, he told himself that he wouldn’t have “a wife and kids” until after he got out, as he “couldn’t imagine” the pain of being apart from his family for so long.

Prince Harry is currently in The Hague, Netherlands for the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014. While the Duchess of Sussex has now returned to the US, she had attended the event with her husband, marking the first time they’ve made a public appearance in Europe since stepping down from their royal duties in 2020.

Of the chance to return to the Invictus Games as a father, Prince Harry told the outlet: “Being a dad certainly adds another emotional layer to it. When I was in the Army, I promised myself I would be out before having a wife and kids, because I couldn’t imagine the heartache of being apart for so long during deployment, the risk of possibly getting injured and the reality that my family’s lives could be changed forever if that happened.”

Prince Harry also expressed how “touching” it is to see mothers and fathers who are “wounded” and “have served” be a part of the Invictus Games.

“For the dads and mums who have served, and have been wounded or injured or fallen ill, there’s nothing that compares to seeing them rediscover their ability to do whatever they put their minds to,” he said. “There’s nothing like seeing their kids watch proudly from the stands. It’s a true inspiration and a deeply touching experience.”

Prince Harry recently opened up about his own experiences with fatherhood during an interview with Today’s Hoda Kotb, detailing how one of his responsibilities as a parent is to “make the world a better place” for the sake of his children.

“My sort of mantra now every day, it’s a dangerous one, because I need to make sure that I don’t have burnout, but it’s trying to make the world a better place for my kids,” the royal explained.

“Otherwise, what’s the point in bringing kids into this world, right? It’s a responsibility that I feel as a parent and that you probably feel as a parent as well,” he added.