Harry reveals flying self-doubt

Prince Harry has spoken of his self-doubt over whether he will ever be able to make it as an Army pilot.

The 24-year-old said he had at times questioned whether he had the mental ability to get through the "intense" flying courses he is undertaking.

In an interview marking the end of his trip to New York, he also described life at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, where he shares digs with Prince William.

He said his brother, a trainee RAF rescue pilot, did most of the cooking.

He said he was happy to be living with his older sibling, saying: "We hardly ever see each other. And now we are living together and it's fantastic."

Giving an insight into the pair's domestic arrangements, he said:"[William] does most of the cooking. I spend time just lying around watching TV and doing my work."

"The RAF don't have to work as hard as the Army," he joked.

Trouble with maths

Prince Harry said he had been "surprised" at the intensity of his flying courses - which include training on a number of aircraft including Squirrel helicopters, a machine his brother is already familiar with.

He said: "There's times when I thought, you know, I'm really not cut out for this, mentally. I hope I've got the physical skills to fly a helicopter. But mentally, there are the exams and everything.

"I mean, I can't do maths, I gave that up when I left school, as anyone does at that age, But I've been throwing myself back in the deep end."

The prince said the trip to New York had been a "nice break" from the training.

During the two-day tour, which included his first official engagements, he visited the site of the World Trade Center and a school in Harlem before taking part in a charity polo match to help raise funds for his Lesotho charity, Sentebale.

Asked how he copes switching between the different roles, the prince said: "I think deep down inside, I'm three different people. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. But I can - I think you have to - jump from place to place."

The prince said he had been surprised by the scale of the site of the World Trade Center where he laid a wreath.

"I never knew what to expect because I'd never even seen the site on television," he said.

On what it was like to serve in Afghanistan, he said: "I don't think anyone could really describe it.

"The guys out there will try to explain to loved-ones what it's like but unless you're there you can't really describe it.

"I think it changes every single person who has come back."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version