Prince Harry is once again facing scrutiny over comments he made about his military service in Afghanistan. This time, criticism is coming from a decorated British Army veteran who says the Duke of Sussex crossed a line by discussing the number of enemy fighters he killed during active duty.
The renewed backlash stems from claims Harry made in his memoir “Spare,” which sparked controversy when it was released and continues to divide opinion years later.
Colonel Tim Collins bashes Prince Harry over ‘cringeworthy’ Afghanistan claims
Colonel Tim Collins, one of the British Army’s most recognizable former officers, recently shared his thoughts on Harry’s comments during an interview with Forces News.
Collins took issue with passages in “Spare” where Harry wrote about killing 25 Taliban fighters while serving in Afghanistan. The former army officer argued that discussing combat in those terms goes against military culture.
“That’s not how you behave in the army; it’s not how we think,” Collins said. “We don’t do notches on the rifle butt. We never did.” He also described public discussions about kill counts as “crass” and “frankly cringeworthy,” adding that taking a life during military operations is a serious matter that soldiers typically do not discuss publicly.
Collins didn’t stop there. The veteran also criticized Harry’s post-royal career, alleging the prince has become involved in what he described as a “moneymaking” effort tied to maintaining his lifestyle after stepping back from royal duties.
Harry served in the British Army from 2005 until 2015 and rose to the rank of captain. He completed two tours in Afghanistan and has frequently spoken about the impact military service had on his life, including through his work with the Invictus Games.
The Duke of Sussex previously addressed the controversy surrounding his comments during a 2023 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. At the time, Harry insisted his remarks had been taken out of context.
He pushed back against suggestions that he was boasting about combat deaths, calling that interpretation a “dangerous lie.”
“If I heard anyone boasting about that kind of thing, I would be angry,” Harry said. According to the prince, his intention was to discuss the realities of war honestly and encourage other veterans to speak openly about their own experiences without shame.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK PUBLIC FIGURES SHOULD DISCUSS THEIR MILITARY EXPERIENCES IN DETAIL, OR ARE SOME STORIES BETTER LEFT PRIVATE?
