Prince Harry Opens Up About Deadly Taliban Missions
Prince Harry isn’t just royalty—he’s a battle-hardened warrior who served two tough tours in Afghanistan. The 38-year-old faced Taliban fighters head-on, first as a forward air controller in 2007-2008, then as a deadly Apache helicopter gunner in 2012-2013.
“Chess Pieces” and Counting Kills
In his bombshell autobiography Spare, Harry reveals a chilling mindset from the front lines. He admits he didn’t see the enemy as “people” but as “chess pieces” removed from the board. The Telegraph got hold of a Spanish edition of the memoir, where Harry confesses to flying six missions on his second tour that resulted in “the taking of human lives.”
“So, my number is 25. It’s not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me,” Harry wrote about his confirmed kills.
He described Taliban fighters as “baddies” — eliminating them before they could harm the “goodies.” Watching footage of each kill at base, Harry’s grim duty was clear.
From Secret Mission to “Warrior Prince”
Harry’s first deployment was a clandestine 10-week stint in Helmand Province in 2007. Operating quietly behind enemy lines as a battlefield air controller, the mission was cut short after details leaked online. But it gave Harry a taste of being a real soldier, not just a royal.
The British press soon dubbed him the “Warrior Prince” and “Harry the Brave.” Determined to do more, he retrained as an Apache pilot, undergoing brutal training in Britain and the US.
Dog-Fight in the Skies: Flying Deadly Missions
Back in Afghanistan in 2012, Harry spent 20 weeks flying Apache attack helicopters. As co-pilot gunner, he piloted missions armed with rockets, missiles, and a 30mm cannon. Harry openly admitted taking lives was sometimes necessary.
“Take a life to save a life,” he shrugged in a 2013 interview. “If there’s people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we’ll take them out of the game, I suppose.”
Not everyone welcomed his blunt words, but Harry stood firm on the brutal reality of war – where the line between good and bad means fighting to survive.
