PRINCE Harry should come home to help veterans who “need him”, an ex-British Army chief has pleaded.
General Sir Richard Dannatt said that military heroes will lose out following the Duke of Sussex’s decision to leave royal life for America with wife Meghan Markle.
The Duke’s relationship with Sir Dannatt stretches back many years, and began when the Prince was a junior officer in the Household Cavalry.
Sir Dannatt, then the Head of the Army, also hatched a plan in 2007 to send Harry to war in Afghanistan.
The Duke was involved in the thick of the fighting as an Army Air Corps co-pilot gunner during a tour of the war-torn country in 2012-13.
However, all of his beloved military appointments came to an end in March after his departure from royal life.
Addressing Harry’s decision to leave Britain, General Dannatt told the Sunday People: “Harry and Meghan are very much involved in other things and that’s their life choice and I don’t criticise them for that.
“But it means that he is not as available, not supporting in such a high-profile fashion, the work of charities and the needs of veterans.
“I don’t criticise him for that, he makes his own choices, but we miss him and I hope that in a change of circumstances, that I can’t envisage, he returns to take up more traditional royal duties in this country.”
The General also revealed that he had written a personal letter to the Duke, in which he begged him not to “stay away too long” – and stressed that veterans need him.
He also described him as a “spirited young man who, like his mother, has a strongly compassionate aspect to his character”.
And while Sir Dannatt said that Harry deeply cared about veterans through his support for charities Help for Heroes and Walking With The Wounded, he is “not well placed to continue that support, living in the USA.”
Last week HOAR reported that royal aides claim Harry’s public opinions on the US election could torpedoe his chances of returning to military royal duties.
Royal aides say that by publicly discussing the upcoming vote and making an apparent swipe at Donald Trump, Harry, 36, has violated the Megxit deal.
One told The Times: “The door was left open. There were some things that Harry hoped he could opt back into.
“He dearly wants to hang on to the Royal Marines and the military appointments.
“That will be harder now.”
