Prince Harry ends Army career after a decade

Prince Harry attended the unveiling of the Bastion Memorial earlier this month

Prince Harry's decade-long career with the Army has ended, Kensington Palace has said.

The fifth-in-line to the throne will spend the next three months carrying out voluntary work with conservation experts in Africa.

He will travel to Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Botswana.

Harry said he had an "epic 10 years" and that Army life kept him "out of trouble" when speaking about his decision to leave last month.

'Huge honour'

He has promised to keep work with military personnel in the Commonwealth as a "permanent feature" of his royal and charitable duties.

From the autumn he will work as a volunteer with a Personnel Recovery Unit in London, where he will help wounded soldiers with their rehabilitation.

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "The prince has had a fulfilling military career and considers it a huge honour to have served his country in the armed forces, during which time he has undertaken two operational tours of duty in Afghanistan, qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander, spearheaded the Invictus Games and - most recently - undertaken an attachment with the Australian Defence Force."

Harry had announced in February that he would be leaving the Army.

Prince Harry, second left, smiles as his grandmother, the Queen, reviews him and other officers at Sandhurst in 2006, marking the end of his training

The prince's first tour of duty in Afghanistan came in 2008

Harry, known in the Army as Captain Wales, then returned to the country in 2012

Harry was away on leave for his last official day in the Army, on Thursday, and will hold a formal farewell meeting with his commanding officer later in the year.

Speaking recently about his decision to join the forces, he said: "I did it because since I was a kid I enjoyed wearing the combats, I enjoyed running around with a rifle, jumping in a ditch and living in the rain, and stuff.

"But then when I grew up, it became more than that, it became an opportunity for me to escape the limelight.

"I've had an epic 10 years, I've had great fun. The Army keep giving me great jobs, and I can never thank them enough for that."

He also said it had been a difficult decision to leave and that he dreaded to think where he would have been without the experience.

'Informed ambassador'

In southern Africa, he will be involved in "front-line conservation projects", having developed a programme with conservation experts, including those from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

He will learn about environmental education programmes as well as working "at the sharp end of wildlife protection", joining rangers who respond to reports of poaching attacks on elephants and rhino, and spending time with vets who try to save animals after attacks.

Jonathan Baillie, director of conservation programmes at ZSL, said: "After this period, Prince Harry will be one of the best-informed ambassadors for the conservation community on what is really happening on the ground in Africa. His experience will be of great value."

Harry is understood to be leaving for Africa next week.