Prince Harry’s final months in active service will wrap up this June, after his duty in Australia. Upon his retirement, Prince Harry will help mark the 200th anniversary of Nepalese soldiers serving in the British Army.
Prince Harry in March 2014, at an announcement for the staging of the Invictus Games which took place later that year.
A pageant will take place on the grounds of The Royal Hospital Chelsea in London on Tuesday 9th June 2015. Attended will be The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Harry and The Prince of Wales.
Since 2002, Charles has been Patron of Royal Hospital Chelsea Appeal.
Prince Harry will reunite with Gurkha comrades from Afghanistan whom he served beside on his 2007/08 tour as a forward air controller in Helmand province.
The pageant will honour hundreds of serving Gurkhas and their families, with a performance narrated by Joanna Lumley and Dan Snow. A story of the Gurkha soldier through battle re-enactments and musical performances by Band of Brigade of Gurkhas.
Prince Harry spent two months on the front line with the Gurkhas. He has said how it was “as normal as I’m ever going to get” and that they were some of the happiest times of his life. He was made an honorary Gurkha during his tour and noted there was “no safer place” than by the side of a Gurkha.
According to The Telegraph, Sgt Dipprasad Pun, who served with Harry commented: “All the Gurkhas are really looking forward to seeing him” and it was a “pleasure” to work with him.
Sgt Pun won a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross on a later tour for a one-man stand against a Taliban assault.
Around 3000, Gurkha soldiers are currently in the British Army. In the event of Army reforms, a Gurkha battalion will form part of the rapid reaction 16 Air Assault Brigade.
Since the end of the Anglo-Nepal War in 1814, Gurkhas had served in the British Army when British officers first encountered the brave troops. Their fearsome attitude and fighting spirit drew the attention of British generals who used a truce to recruit Gurkhas into their ranks.
They have fought in all of Britain’s recent major conflicts. The Nepalese Gurkhas have won 13 Victoria Crosses since becoming eligible right before World War One for Britain’s highest battlefield gallantry award.
Photo Credit: UK Ministry of Defence via Flickr
