Prince Harry is not keen on discussing political matters, not even after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, moved to the United States following their step down from their roles as senior royals in 2020. Surprisingly, on Friday, the Duke of Sussex broke that silence to challenge what he saw as a direct insult to the sacrifice of NATO soldiers in Afghanistan.
The son of King Charles and the late Princess Diana reacted to President Donald Trump’s remarks in Davos, suggesting that allied forces had deliberately stayed away from the frontlines during the war. The 79-year-old commander-in-chief even questioned if the alliance would come to America’s aid if the situation were reversed.
Trump’s statement drew reactions from netizens and public figures, including Prince Harry. His response was somewhat calculated but direct.
“In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in history. It meant that every allied nation was obliged to stand with the United States in Afghanistan, in pursuit of our shared security. Allies answered that call,” Prince Harry wrote, invoking the historical moment that bound the alliance together.
🇬🇧 This is Prince Harry from the British Royal Family in Afghanistan whilst he was “Staying a little back, off the front lines”.. pic.twitter.com/P732mdHb8D
— Bricktop_NAFO (@Bricktop_NAFO) January 23, 2026
The father of Archie and Lilibet then spoke about his experience. “I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there. The United Kingdom alone had 457 service personnel killed,” the royal prince added.
“Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost. Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace,” Prince Harry went on.
New pictures of Prince Harry on the frontlines in Afghanistan in 2015 released.
The Duke of Sussex served two tours in Afghanistan and serves 10 years in the military. #PrinceHarry
📸 John Stillwell pic.twitter.com/UZgbHYSn7I
— ChrisBaronSmith (@ChrisBaronSmit1) January 23, 2026
Words alone were not enough for the Duke of Sussex as he released two photos of himself on the front line in Afghanistan. Taken by photographer John Stillwell, the images showed Prince Harry in uniform, deployed in the combat zone, a deployment President Donald Trump had suggested allied forces avoid.
Most, if not all, of Prince Harry’s followers are aware that his military record is substantial. From 2004 to 2015, the husband of Meghan Markle served in the British army and rose to the rank of Captain. At the time, he completed two operational tours in Afghanistan: as a Forward Air Controller and as an Apache Helicopter pilot.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is a prime example of strong leadership and heroism, having completed two front-line tours in Afghanistan with NATO allies after the events of 9/11.
He established the Invictus Games to support injured military personnel and their families. In an… pic.twitter.com/9Wrbbxqdlg
— 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒙 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 (@SussexEvent) January 24, 2026
His notable experience working in the military makes his statement credible that mere words could not. Prince Harry was not speaking in theory; he was speaking from the ground.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry returned to the UK earlier this week to attend court hearings related to his lawsuit against the publisher of The Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers Limited. He was expected to meet King Charles at the time, but it likely did not happen.
Prince Harry returned to California only to find himself drawn into a public dispute with President Donald Trump over historical facts about a war that had shaped his life. While some view the POTUS’s characterization of NATO’s commitment as a betrayal of memory and sacrifice, Prince William’s younger brother’s statement gave them a voice with genuine authority behind it.
