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Prince Harry quits as an Apache helicopter pilot for a desk job ‘so he can spend more time with girlfriend Cressida Bonas’

Prince Harry is to take a desk job organising ceremonial events in London
Move will allow him to take on more royal duties on behalf of the Queen
He will also be able to spend more time with girlfriend Cressida Bonas
Will allow him to devote time to bringing Warrior Games to London
He flew to America last year to support competitors taking part in Games

By Ian Drury and Rebecca English Royal Correspondent and Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 06:18 EST, 17 January 2014 | UPDATED: 05:33 EST, 18 January 2014

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Prince Harry's decision to quit flying military attack helicopters to take an Army desk job in London was spurred by a desire to spend more time with girlfriend Cressida Bonas, a friend has said.

The 29-year-old, who co-piloted Apache gunships on the Afghan front line, is to begin a new role helping to co-ordinate ‘significant projects and commemorative events’ for the Army in London.

Captain Harry Wales, as he is known in the Army, will also lead a bid to bring the Warrior Games, an ‘Olympics’ for wounded service personnel, to the UK.

It must be love: Prince Harry, left, has quit his job as an Apache helicopter pilot to take a desk job helping to co-ordinate 'significant projects' - as well as to spend more time with girlfriend Cressida Bonas, right

And the move means that he can further develop his 18-month relationship with 24-year-old Miss Bonas, a dancer - although friends insist an engagement is not imminent.

A friend of the couple told The Sun: 'The distance made it difficult for Harry to see Cressie as often as he would have liked. Moving to London full time will no doubt make them even closer.

'It shows he is serious and Cressie is thrilled.'

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But the fourth in line to the throne risks criticism for ditching the Army Air Corps after defence chiefs spent £2.5million training him to fly the helicopters.

Despite his undoubted aptitude as a pilot – the prince was one of the two best young airmen on his course – his decision raises questions that his place could have been given to a soldier intending to spend their whole career with the elite unit.

Harry, who remains a commissioned officer in the Household Cavalry, will take up the staff officer role in HQ London District, based at Horse Guards.

The move will allow him to take on more royal duties on behalf of his 87-year-old grandmother, the Queen.

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Project: The Prince at the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, U.S., which he hopes to bring to the UK

The fourth in line to the throne, who has twice served on the frontline in Afghanistan, will take up a staff officer role in HQ London District, based from Horse Guards

The move will allow the prince to take on more royal duties on behalf of his ageing grandmother, the Queen, 87, who has long signalled she wishes younger members of her family to take the strain

Ceremonial events Harry will help organise will include Trooping the Colour, the First World War centenary commemorations and state visits.

But sources said his desire to expand the Warrior Games into a global contest was ‘very much tied up’ with his decision to quit the Army Air Corps. The prince attended the event near Aspen, Colorado, last year, and was ‘blown away’ by the inspirational tournament in which more than 300 injured troops competed.

A senior insider said: ‘Prince Harry is passionate about this project. He believes it will be an amazing event that will bring the focus of attention on the problems facing those injured on the frontline.’

Last year Harry said: ‘I don’t see how it wouldn’t be possible to fill a stadium with 80,000 people, not to watch Olympics, not to watch Paralympics, but to watch wounded servicemen fight it out amongst each other – not on a battlefield but in a stadium.'

It is understood plans to bring the Warrior Games to London next year are ‘90 per cent in the bag’ and that Harry will play a central role in organising them.

The young royal began the 18-month Apache training course in July 2010, qualifying as a co-pilot gunner in February 2012. Officers were so impressed with his aptitude for flying the £46million helicopter that he was handed the prize of top co-pilot gunner on his course.

Prince Harry flies an Apache helicopter in California in 2012

Harry flew to America last year to support competitors taking part in the Warrior Games, a paralympic style event for injured servicemen and women, and he hopes to help bring the event to the UK

Prince Harry gives a high five to Lcpl Maurillia Simpson as he meets British soldiers competing in the Warrior Games and plays sitting volleyball with them in Colorado Springs in May last year

The prince was an Apache helicopter commander and co-pilot gunner and flew missions in Helmand Province during his last deployment to Afghanistan completed in January last year

One of two crew in an Apache, the co-pilot gunner commands the mission, fires the weapons, navigates and sometimes takes over the controls.

The prince’s first tour of duty – a secret deployment with the Household Cavalry – was cut short in 2008 when news of his presence was leaked on foreign websites and he was brought back to Britain.

Prince Harry, pictured during a visit to the Royal Marines Tamar centre at the HM Naval Base, Plymouth, became a fully operational Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot in February 2012

However, Harry was so determined to do another tour of duty that he retrained as an Apache pilot to increase his chances of being redeployed.

In September 2012 he returned to Afghanistan to fly the attack helicopters in the battle against the Taliban. He served a four-month deployment at Camp Bastion and later admitted he had killed an insurgent in a missile strike.

Asked yesterday about the royal’s sudden change of job, a senior source said: ‘Prince Harry wants a career in the military and it is not unusual for an officer to change his career path after this length of time.’

Lieutenant Colonel Tom de la Rue, who commanded Prince Harry in the Army Air Corps, said the prince had ‘reached the pinnacle of flying excellence as an Apache pilot’ and had been a ‘real inspiration’ to his colleagues.

A senior Army source said that Harry had not prevented anyone else from flying Apaches, adding: ‘There are not queues and queues of people able to do it, and Harry got there on merit.’

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British troops in Afghanistan, said: ‘This is normal procedure for all officers … It is necessary to have people with operational experience making decisions in headquarters which is one of the reasons why this happens.

‘It is likely that an officer like Prince Harry will return to a front line position after completing his staff role.'

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buttercupanddaisy, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 5 minutes ago

I just love Prince Harry. Good luck to him!

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null, 6 minutes ago

Everyone is entitled to quit a job, get off your high horses.

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Dae1234, culloden, United Kingdom, 16 minutes ago

He is right : piloting an helicopter or a desk job for probably more money ?

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RB, Wiltshire, 33 minutes ago

Poster boy retiring already? I wonder how many days he actually turned up? Maybe one of our real soldiers could spill the beans? I know when charlie and air miles were in the navy they took their personal skivvies with them even when they allegedly trained at BRNC Dartmouth (ex RN and BRNC so I know!)

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Zane1251, Hull, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago

Another load if wasted money training him, just like Will. The opportunity should have been given to others who really need the jobs... they both play at part time soldiers. I served in the Army for a long time but could not just come and go when it pleased me.

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Emma.D, Itchycoo Park, United Kingdom, 22 minutes ago

Were you an officer? Did you read the actual article? No, you didn't. You just made assumptions about the role that Harry will undertake.

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cm, southampton, 1 hour ago

I wonder how many other people in the army have the location of their current girlfriend taken into account when giving out jobs? Personally a long posting to the Falkland Islands seems more appropriate.

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pdx16, Lincoln, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago

This young man was born into a life of privilege, he didn't ask for it! He could quite easily of sat on his backside and done nothing but enjoy the trappings of wealth, he certainly needn't of served in the armed forces on operations, which I doubt many of the people who are making disparaging comments about him have ever done. He does many things and gives plenty of his free time for charities, yes he's done some silly things but who hasn't? Most of us are lucky and don't have everything we say and do dissected in the public domain. Remember that little boy walking behind his mothers coffin at such a young age, he's certainly not had it all easy, but I think whatever he did he would still have those that are pre-disposed to speak against him do so. All in all I think he is a thoroughly decent young man and I am sure his Mother would be vary proud of him.