Spare

Harry flies to Afghanistan—his first journey without armed bodyguards. He arrives at Forward Operating Base Dwyer in the desert, where he soon becomes accustomed to the sound of the base’s massive guns firing at the Taliban many times a day. Harry is shown the equipment used to monitor battlefields and guide military jets. His role involves hours of watching a screen for signs of Taliban activity. The radio feed is a chaotic mixture of voices asking permission to cross the air space. Harry’s radio call sign is “Widow Six Seven.”

When Harry asks to be moved closer to Garmsir, where much of the fighting occurs, he’s sent to Forward Operating Base Delhi, located in a school building, half-destroyed by bombs. A group of Gurkha soldiers treat Harry like a god and ask him to kill one of their goats. Harry declines, concerned about causing the creature unnecessary suffering. When he monitors a Taliban bunker and plans an airstrike, he instructs the American pilots to use a 2,000-pound radar-controlled bomb. However, the Americans overrule him and use two less powerful bombs. He sees several Taliban fighters escape the bunker.

Next, Harry is moved to a lookout tower frequently under attack by the Taliban. On the day of his arrival, he uses a powerful, 50-caliber machine gun to shoot at the attackers. Journalists are present, and Harry reluctantly gives an interview. The reporters agree to keep Harry’s location a secret until he leaves Afghanistan. Harry is relocated to FOB Edinburgh to defend Musa Qala. A previous Taliban stronghold, the town has been recaptured by the military. Locals treat them with hostility because no one prevented the Taliban from torturing former co-operators and displaying their heads on the town walls.

As Harry patrols Musa Qala in a tank, his unit discovers an improvised explosive device (IED). They call in the IED specialists, who safely detonate the bomb. One day, Harry and his unit watch as American soldiers fire warning shots at shepherds approaching on motorbikes. One of the shepherds is wounded, and while his injuries are treated, Harry cleans the man’s motorbike. When the Americans release the shepherd, Harry returns the bike.

Harry is instructed to take three journalists on a tank convoy. The reporters annoy him, asking to get out of the tank and film in unsafe areas. Finally, Harry gives in but warns them to be careful. The tank ahead is suddenly fired on, and the journalists freeze in fear. Harry shouts at them to get back in the tank. Later, an American missile hits a nearby village, causing many injuries. Two men approach Harry’s unit, pushing a wheelbarrow with a badly injured boy inside. As the Army medics treat the boy, Taliban fighters fire at them. Afterward, Harry’s team aren’t sure whether the Americans injured the boy or the Taliban hurt him and used him as “bait.”

One night, an officer announces on the radio that “Red Fox” is in danger and needs immediate extraction. Harry realizes that the officer is talking about him. He remembers the fox he once saw at Eton, now believing that it was an omen of this moment. Special Forces collect Harry by helicopter and take him back to FOB Edinburgh. He learns that an Australian magazine revealed his location, putting him in danger. On the plane back to England, Harry sees three British soldiers with life-threatening injuries.

When Harry returns to Britain, his first task is to give an interview with a selected journalist. Prince Charles and Prince William are waiting to greet him. Afterward, Harry goes to Cape Town to see Chelsy, and they visit Teej and Mike in Botswana. Chelsy is a student at Leeds University in England, and photographers start following her to class. When she returns to Cape Town, reporters follow her, and a tracking device is found under her car. Chelsy tells Harry that she isn’t sure she can tolerate the harassment.

Several months after splitting from Chelsy, Harry meets television presenter Caroline Flack. As soon as the press knows they’re dating, reporters harass Caroline’s family and friends. They agree to split.

Harry asks to return to active military duty. He’s told that the safest role would be as a helicopter pilot. However, he’d need to train for two years before being deployed. When he’s sent on his first royal tour of America, his itinerary includes visiting wounded soldiers and the families of people who died in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

In Britain, Harry becomes involved with Help for Heroes, a charity for injured veterans. In addition, he privately visits wounded soldiers in hospitals. During one visit, he meets Ben—one of the injured men he saw on the flight home from Afghanistan. Ben lost an arm and leg in an IED explosion and is presented with a prosthetic leg. Harry watches him try out his new limb on a climbing wall. Returning to Botswana, Harry helps Teej and Mike as they film a documentary about elephants. He films a vet trying to fit a bull elephant with a tracking device. Harry and the vet chase the elephant for 8 km before catching him.

The News of the World publishes a video of Harry as an army cadet. In the video, Harry uses a racist slur to introduce his Pakistani friend Ahmed Raza Kahn. Harry is ashamed, although he didn’t know the slur was offensive. He contacts Ahmed and apologizes. He wants to apologize publicly as well, but his father’s office does so on his behalf.

Harry begins flight training at RAF Barkston Heath. His instructor, Sergeant Major Booley, sometimes sends the aircraft into freefall, forcing Harry to step up and take control. Harry progresses to his first solo flight before moving on to helicopter training. He triumphantly overcomes the “hover monkeys”—a phenomenon in which the helicopter becomes unstable when landing. Later, Prince William, who’s training as a search and rescue pilot, shares a cottage with Harry. Both are pleased to hear of the investigation and arrest of journalists working for Rupert Murdoch, including “Rehabber Kooks.”

Harry is relocated to Middle Wallop, where his instructor, Nigel, teaches him how to eliminate “head squirrels.” Nigel is frank with Harry about his strengths and weaknesses. He observes that the prince becomes “defensive” when criticized and notes that Harry isn’t afraid of dying. After completing his training with Nigel, Harry is sent on a three-month course to learn to fly Apache helicopters. He finds the classroom-based course challenging but completes it. When he first flies an Apache, Harry is disconcerted that the instructor isn’t by his side. During night training, Harry flies over Buckingham Palace. One night, he’s momentarily blinded as someone aims at the helicopter with a laser pen.

Harry completes his training in Suffolk. His instructor reveals that he was one of the team who extracted the prince from Afghanistan and praises Harry for overcoming the obstacle.

Harry goes to Botswana for his 25th birthday. Teej and Mike ask him to help highlight the environmental crises in Africa. Harry and his friends take boats up the Okavango Delta. A storm hits, and the river becomes difficult to navigate. In a flash of lightning, Harry sees a herd of elephants standing in the river. He looks into the eyes of one of the elephants and experiences a sense of mysticism.

Harry graduates as an aviator, receiving his “wings” from Prince Charles. He briefly reconciles with Chelsy, and they travel to Botswana—but decide that their relationship doesn’t have a long-term future. With Prince William, Harry visits schools in Lesotho. In a remote mountain village, they learn that shepherd boys walk for two hours after a full day’s work to receive an education. Harry gives one of the boys a flashlight to light his long walk to school.

In November 2010, Prince William’s engagement to Kate is officially announced. Harry throws himself into charity work and agrees to join a group of wounded veterans walking to the North Pole. As part of his re-education following the Nazi uniform scandal, he travels to Berlin.