Meghan Markle Blasted by Critics for Inflating Prince Harry's Pilot Credentials After Claiming He Flew for 10 Years in Army

Meghan Markle appeared to give Prince Harry's military résumé a surprising upgrade by claiming he spent "10 years" as a helicopter pilot in the British Army, sparking accusations from critics, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

While Harry, 41, did serve for a decade, he spent just under 4 years as a co-pilot and gunner during a tour in Afghanistan.

Markle made the statement during a June 28 Q&A following a screening of the documentary Cookie Queens, which the couple signed on to as executive producers after it was completed.

When talking about "tough moments," the former actress shared, "I think so much of it, funny enough, I was thinking about something my husband told me ages ago, because we all go through experiences and life is full of surprises."

"But you know, he was a helicopter pilot in the British Army for 10 years," Markle continued. "And sometimes, on really hard days, he said, ‘Hey, but my love, you know, even if there’s a storm happening, above the storm the sun’s always shining.'"

Prince Harry's military career began when he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on May 8, 2005, as a cadet, and completed training 11 months later.

The ex-royal was deployed on a secret 10-week tour in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2007 as a forward air controller, helping coordinate close air support and helping direct air strikes on Taliban targets. He returned to England in March 2008.

Harry began formal helicopter flight training in May 2009 at RAF Shawbury, earning his wings a year later. He qualified as an Apache co-pilot gunner in 2012 after training in the U.S, going on to take part in operational missions in Afghanistan for the British Army from September of that year through January 2013.

The Duke of Sussex reached the pinnacle of his military aviation career in July 2013 when he qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander. He then completed a 20-week operational assignment before being moved to a desk job in January 2014, ultimately leaving the British Army in 2015 with the rank of Captain.

Critics on Reddit pointed out Markle's potentially unintentional inflation of Harry's piloting career and voiced their suspicions that he was still a licensed pilot.

One user suggested the statement was a form of "stolen valor."

Another person claimed, "Suspicious. I don't think he was allowed to fly on his own, only as a co-pilot. And he doesn't seem to have a license now. We never heard of him flying after the military like William," referring to how Prince William worked as an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot for years.

(A co-pilot is a fully qualified pilot. The difference is often related to chain of command rather than solely on one's ability to safely fly.)

"Did William say he was a pilot recently? Because if so, she’s trying to get that SEO," a third person snarked, seemingly referencing the rumors that the Sussexes try to copy other members of the royal family.

"He got his Army Air Corps Wings (not the same as Air Force Wings) and then served as a co-pilot/gunner in an Apache. Nothing to be ashamed of. But he did not 'serve as a pilot for 10 years' because in his earlier years of 'service' he hadn't done that training!" a fourth Redditor pointed out.