Prince Harry arrives in Australia for army training

Prince Harry has arrived in Australia for four weeks of training with the Australian Army.

The trip is part of a long running exchange programme between UK and Australian forces.

The royal will join the country's special forces and Aboriginal soldiers in Sydney, Darwin and Perth, for a "challenging programme" of exercises. He will also spend time learning how wounded servicemen and women are supported in Australia, which will inform his own charity work for ex-serviceman injured in action, including the Invictus Games.

An international sporting event for wounded, sick and injured servicemen and women, the Invictus Games are designed to use the power of sport to inspire recovery and support rehabilitation.

A statement released by the Australian Defence Force said: "Defence's focus for this attachment is to provide Captain Wales with an authentic military experience in the Australian army that builds on his previous experience with coalition forces and complements his work with wounded, injured and ill service personnel."

A spokesman for Kensington Palace said: "Prince Harry has trained and served alongside Australian Armed Forces on operational tours to Afghanistan; he has met them during the Invictus Games; and even trekked to the South Pole with a couple of Australian Soldiers.

"Those experiences reinforced the huge admiration and respect he already had for Australian servicemen and women and has stoked his enthusiasm even more to build on those relationships in the next four weeks."

After his four weeks with the Australian army, Prince Harry will get back to royal duties with an official tour of New Zealand in May.

Last month it was announced that he would be leaving the armed forces in June after a 10-year military career in which the Prince completed two tours of duty to Afghanistan and qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander.

Reflecting on his military career, in a statement the Prince said: "After a decade of service, moving on from the Army has been a really tough decision. 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.

"I am considering the options for the future and I am really excited about the possibilities," he added.

Harry will spend the summer carrying out a programme of voluntary work alongside field-based conservation experts in Africa, the palace said.

The prince will then spend the autumn working in a voluntary capacity with the Ministry of Defence's Recovery Capability Programme, while considering his long term future.

Video footage was released this week of the Prince flying a World War II Spitfire. The royal whooped with delight as he performed a loop.