Prince Harry quits British Army after 10 years

LONDON, March 17 (UPI) -- Prince Harry announced Monday that he will leave the British Army in June.

"After a decade of service, moving on from the army has been a really tough decision," the 30-year-old royal said in a statement. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the chance to do some very challenging jobs and have met many fantastic people in the process."

From learning the hard way to stay onside with my Color Sergeant at Sandhurst, to the incredible people I served with during two tours in Afghanistan -- the experiences I have had over the last 10 years will stay with me for the rest of my life. Inevitably most good things come to an end and I am at a crossroads in my military career.

Before he leaves, Harry will join the Australian Defense Forces for a four-week stint in April, followed by a royal tour of New Zealand with his father, Prince Charles, in May.

Harry, the fourth in line to the British throne, entered the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 2005. He trained as a Apache helicopter pilot and served two tours of duty in Afghanistan.