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During a recent appearance on The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Meghan Markle made a passing remark about Prince Harry’s military service.
And because everything she does is subject to intense scrutiny and criticism, the Duchess of Sussex might be regretting those remarks today.
The topic came up when Meghan reflected on getting through life’s difficult moments by recalling advice her husband once shared with her.
“But you know, he was a helicopter pilot in the British Army for 10 years,” Meghan said (via Radar Online).
“And sometimes, on really hard days, he said, ‘Hey, but my love, you know, even if there’s a storm happening, above the storm the sun’s always shining.’”
The remark quickly caught the attention of royal watchers, who argued that Meghan’s description blurred the line between Harry’s overall military service and the years he actually spent flying helicopters.
To be clear, there is no dispute that Harry served in the British Army for roughly a decade.
He entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2005 and remained in military service until 2015, eventually leaving with the rank of Captain.
However, his aviation career began several years after he enlisted.
Harry started formal helicopter flight training in 2009, earned his wings in 2010, qualified as an Apache co-pilot gunner in 2012, and later became an Apache Aircraft Commander in 2013.
He flew operational missions during his second deployment to Afghanistan before transitioning to a desk assignment in 2014.
Critics therefore argued that describing him as a helicopter pilot for the entirety of his 10-year military career was inaccurate.
The interview sparked debate online, with several commenters insisting Meghan had exaggerated Harry’s credentials.
One Reddit user wrote, “He did not serve as a pilot for 10 years because in his earlier years of service he hadn’t done that training.”
Another added that Harry “served for 10 years in the Army, not as a helicopter pilot.”
One commenter even went so far as to accuse Meghan of “stolen valor.”
Another person claimed, “Suspicious. I don’t think he was allowed to fly on his own, only as a co-pilot. And he doesn’t seem to have a license now. We never heard of him flying after the military like William,”
Others suggested the statement was likely a simple mix-up between the length of Harry’s military service and the years he spent flying military helicopters.
Harry has long described his decade in the Army as one of the most meaningful periods of his life.
The Duke of Sussex completed two deployments to Afghanistan, although only the second came after he had qualified to fly Apache helicopters. His military experience has remained central to much of his charitable work since leaving royal duties, including his continued involvement with the Invictus Games.
Neither Meghan nor Harry has publicly addressed the criticism surrounding her remarks.