Prince Harry urges NATO to address veteran identity loss after leaving the army

Addressing NATO’s military committee from Brussels, Prince Harry discussed the personal impact of leaving the British Army after a decade of service. He explained that the transition felt like a loss of both profession and identity, though he felt fortunate to find another way to serve through the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014. Emphasising the importance of supporting veterans, he warned that the alliance must pay as much attention to the wellbeing of former service members as it does to training and deployment, particularly for those who return wounded, injured, or ill.

Harry highlighted the shared values between NATO and the Invictus Games, noting that both rely on people who volunteer, train, fight, and recover together. He called for concrete measures to aid the reintegration of military personnel into civilian life.