The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, an upcoming ITV documentary, will discuss the Queen’s desires for Prince William and Prince Harry’s future.
After the war in Afghanistan broke out in 2001, the late monarch, who passed away in September 2022 at the age of 96, confided in former Head of the British Army General Sir Mike Jackson about her wishes for her grandsons to fight the Taliban there. Her Majesty told the former general in a meeting at the time that her grandsons “must do their duty.”
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Despite acknowledging he would be violating protocol by divulging the specifics of the meeting, Sir Mike described it in the documentary. “I will break the rule about not divulging on this one occasion,” he said, “what goes on in those audiences and who says what to whom remains for the two people involved.”
She was very direct when she said, “My grandsons have taken my shilling; as a result, they must perform their duty,” and that was it. However, it was decided that William’s risk is too high because he is the heir to the heir. But the risk was acceptable to his younger brother.
The documentary also made clear that the monarch had learned in-depth information regarding the dangers that British soldiers in Afghanistan faced. Although it was decided that William would not fight, Sir John Scarlett, a former head of MI6, said in the documentary that the future King was “keen to do so.”
Naturally, she has full access to everything, John said. She has had full access to more information and insight than anyone else for a longer period of time.
Although William did not participate in the Afghan War, the Prince of Wales did complete his training at Sandhurst’s Royal Military Academy and later joined the Royal Air Force and Navy. Harry, meanwhile, spent ten years in the British Army before being assigned to Afghanistan.
