Prince Harry Reveals He Struggled With Finding His “Purpose and Identity” After This Major Life Change
Prince Harry Reveals He Struggled With Finding His “Purpose and Identity” After This Major Life Change
Chanel VargasFri, October 2, 2026 at 7:22 PM UTC
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Prince Harry attends the Invictus Games Foundation’s inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards in London on September 17, 2026.Credit: Getty ImagesThe Gist -
Prince Harry, who served in the British Army for 10 years, said he lost a part of his “purpose and identity” after hanging up his military uniform in 2015.
Harry spoke more about his military experience during a surprise address before the NATO Military Committee at their headquarters in Brussels on October 1.
During his speech, Harry shared more about the mission behind the Invictus Games, the multi-sport tournament he founded in 2014 to support the recovery of wounded and sick military service personnel and veterans.
As the countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games continues, Prince Harry is reflecting on the major life change that inspired him to give back to his fellow veterans.
On October 1, the Duke of Sussex made a surprise virtual appearance before the NATO Military Committee at their headquarters in Brussels, two years after addressing the committee in October 2024. “A great deal has changed since then,” he said in his address, per People. “But what has not changed is the common ground between NATO and Invictus—and my belief that there is far more we can do together.”
The Invictus Games founder, who served in the British Army for 10 years, used the opportunity to share more about the mission behind the multi-sport tournament, citing his own experience in the military as the driving force.
Prince Harry returns after 10 weeks on active duty in Afghanistan in Brize Norton, England on March 1, 2008.Credit: Getty Images
“At its heart, NATO is an alliance of nations, but those nations are defended by people,” he said. “People who volunteer to serve. People who train together, deploy together, fight together, and in many cases, recover together. And families who serve alongside them in ways that are rarely acknowledged. And ultimately, people who come home.”
He continued, “I know something about that transition. When I hung up my uniform, I felt as though I had lost not simply a profession, but part of my purpose and identity.” Harry added that he is “fortunate” the Invictus Games have given him “another way to serve” since hanging up his uniform.
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“Invictus is not a sporting event,” he said. “Sport is one of our tools. Our mission is much bigger. We rebuild purpose. We rebuild confidence. We strengthen families and communities. We connect veterans back into society. And increasingly, we connect nations so they can learn from each other about recovery, rehabilitation, mental health, and life after service.”
Prince William and Prince Harry pose in front of a Griffin helicopter during a photocall at RAF Shawbury in Shawbury, England on June 18, 2009.Credit: Getty Images
Harry began his military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2005, when he was 20 years old. He went on to serve for 10 years in the British Army, including two tours in Afghanistan, before he officially stepped down in 2015, completing his service as Captain-General of the Royal Marines. Like Harry, Prince William also served in the British Army from 2006 to 2013, per long-standing royal family tradition.
Following his active military service, Harry has donned his Captain’s uniform on rare occasions. Shortly before stepping down from his royal duties, he wore his Captain-General of the Royal Marines red mess uniform during the Mountbatten Festival of Music on March 7, 2020, per Vanity Fair. On September 17, 2022, Harry also wore his Blues and Royals No. 1 dress uniform while attending a vigil for his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, per Page Six.
Prince Harry attends the annual Founder’s Day Parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London on June 6, 2019.Credit: Getty Images
Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 to support the physical and mental rehabilitation of wounded and sick military service personnel and veterans through sport and community. Since April 2022, the Invictus Games have also partnered with the virtual coaching platform BetterUp to provide mental health support to “veterans and service personnel living with life-altering injuries or illnesses.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
