Prince Harry Praises "Absolutely Amazing" Military

Prince Harry has called on the public to hold our armed forces "in really high esteem", as he guest edited BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He praised praised the "absolutely amazing" 5,000 military personnel currently serving around the world, who he said "are ready to do what is necessary".

During the show Harry said he was "hugely grateful" for the opportunity and platform to discuss the topics he thinks really need to be thought about.

"I wanted to stress on the military point as well, we have a huge amount - not a huge amount - we have got some people within the services, who are ready to serve," Harry said.

"As Edmund Burke once said, 'the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing'.

"And I really believe that we, as the British public, have to have the appetite to know that our people are ready to serve - they are ready to do what is necessary."

Harry also described the 5,000 military personnel currently serving overseas as "absolutely amazing", and added: "I think we need to hold our armed services in really high esteem.

"But also, there is a hell of a lot going on at the moment, and through into this next year as well."

A former officer in the army for more than 10 years, the 33-year-old was deployed twice to Afghanistan where he served with distinction.

During his first tour he worked as a battlefield air controller coordinating air strikes and during the second as an Apache helicopter co-pilot gunner.

Speculation about defence cuts has mounted in recent months since the launch of a review led by Theresa May's national security adviser Mark Sedwill.

As well as rumours about potential cuts to the strength of the army, there have been concerns about the future of armoured vehicle programmes and suggestions that amphibious assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark could be axed alongside the loss of 1,000 Royal Marines.

But when pressed on whether he is worried about what is happening to the military, Harry said he was "not going to get involved in politics".

During the programme he also interviewed former US President Barack Obama, as well as updating listeners on how his fiance Meghan Markle found spending Christmas with the Royals. 

"It was fantastic, she really enjoyed it," he said.