Prince Harry is the latest in a long line of royals who have served on the front line in the armed forces.
His uncle the Duke of York saw action in a conflict zone when he was a Sea King helicopter pilot during the Falklands War and sailed on HMS Invincible.
Andrew was 22 when he took part in helicopter missions, acting as a decoy target, trying to divert deadly Exocet missiles away from British ships.
He was in the Navy for 22 years, rising to the rank of commander before leaving the service in 2001.
Harry's grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, joined the Royal Navy as a 17-year-old cadet in spring 1939 as the storm clouds of war gathered on the horizon.
Two years later he was a midshipman serving on HMS Valiant which took part in a dramatic Second World War naval battle which earned him a military honour.
During the Battle of Cape Matapan, the Italian fleet was caught unawares by British warships that sank three cruisers and two destroyers.
Philip was mentioned in despatches for operating HMS Valiant's searchlight during the decisive naval encounter and picking out enemy targets.
The Duke rose through the ranks and in 1952 became a commander, but his naval career came to an end following the death of his father-in-law, King George VI, that year.
George VI was the first of the modern royals, and the only sovereign since William IV to see action in battle.
When still Prince Albert, he fought as a sub-lieutenant aboard HMS Collingwood in the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
His older brother, who was destined to be king, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), was not allowed to fight in the Army when the First World War broke out.
Lord Kitchener, the secretary of state for war, decided the prince would not serve at the front but he eventually joined the British Expeditionary Force in France, helping to raise the morale of troops.
Harry's brother the Duke of Cambridge, a helicopter pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force, has also spoken of his desire to serve his country on the frontline despite being a future king, but has yet to achieve his ambition.
Other royals have joined the forces, but stayed safely away from conflict zones.
The Queen spent a period in uniform, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in February 1945 at the age of 18.
By the end of the Second World War she had reached the rank of junior commander, having completed her course at No 1 Mechanical Training Centre of the ATS and passed out as a fully-qualified driver.
The Prince of Wales trained to be a pilot with the RAF, getting his wings in 1971, and went on to serve with the Royal Navy for five years.
For the final 10 months of his active career in the Navy, Charles was given command of his own ship, minehunter HMS Bronington.
The Earl of Wessex dropped out of the Royal Marines in 1987 and did not achieve a military rank.