Prince Harry was ‘devastated’ at having to give up his post as Captain General of The Royal Marines

Prince Harry ‘regretted’ having to stand down from his role in the military, and felt ‘forced into it’ after stepping down from royal duties, a source has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex, 35, who decided to step back from the limelight with Meghan Markle, 38, and 10-month-old Archie after being subjected to intense scrutiny which brought back painful memories of Princess Diana’s death, is said to have been apologetic about giving up his post as Captain General of The Royal Marines.

Harry, who served for 10 years in the British army, entered into negotiations with the royal family after announcing his withdrawal as a senior royal in January, and as a result gave up his military honours.

The royal reportedly revealed his regrets during his last military engagement when he appeared at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at London’s Royal Albert Hall alongside Meghan this month.

Speaking to The Sun, a source said: ‘He told people he regretted having to stand down and pretty much said the decision had been forced on him.’

‘He was being apologetic and did not appear fully at ease.

‘He is a genuine guy and you could see he was upset and emotional as this was one of the last times he would be in uniform among his men and women.’

Seen: Prince Harry graduating from his military helicopter pilots course on the 7th of May 2010

During his speech at the festival this month, Harry said: ‘I am so proud to have served as the Royal Marines Captain and am devastated that I am having to step down.

‘I feel I’m letting people down, but I had no choice.’

In January Buckingham Palace announced that as part of Harry and Meghan’s new arrangement, the Prince was required to step back from his ‘official military appointments’. 

After training at Sandhurst, Harry was commissioned as an officer in the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals in April 2006.

After training at Sandhurst, Harry was commissioned as an officer in the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals in April 2006. During his ten years in the Army, he undertook two operational tours of Afghanistan and qualified as an Apache helicopter commander

During his ten years in the Army, he undertook two operational tours of Afghanistan and qualified as an Apache helicopter commander.

His second tour of Helmand, in 2012, is believed to be one of the few times in his life that the Prince truly found contentment away from the restrictions and pressures of Royal life.

Harry’s military career ended in June 2015 but he has remained a passionate supporter of the Armed Forces and was handed a number of ceremonial military titles. 

Known as ‘Captain Wales’ by his comrades, he proudly told one fellow soldier: ‘I’ve got the best of both worlds. I get to do all this. I can fly helicopters. I can shine a spotlight on the work I want to do.’

It was the Army which offered Harry his first taste of life away from being a royal.

 His highest profile military title is as Captain General of the Royal Marines, a role he was handed by the Queen in December 2017, succeeding the Duke of Edinburgh.

The loss of his military titles and appointments is likely to be particularly painful for Prince Harry. Pictured: Harry in a Spartan armoured vehicle in the Helmand province, Southern Afghanistan