The Duke of Sussex was reunited with an old forces colleague with whom he once shared a tent during a military exercise, and joked: “Let’s not talk about it.”

Harry caught up with Steve McCulley when he visited Royal Marines recruits in Devon, and told the young men they faced “blood, sweat and tears” training for one of the world’s top jobs.

He even tried out a mini Jaguar car for size when he chatted to Mr McCulley, a former Royal Marines major and now a driver with the Invictus Games racing team, who compete in 575bhp adapted Jaguar GT4 cars in the British GT Championship.

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The Duke of Sussex with a toy car during a visit to the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre (Chris Jackson/PA)

Crouching down behind the car, a tiny replica of the GT4s driven by two professionals and four injured ex-servicemen, he said about driving it: “It’s one of those things where you look ridiculous – it’s like those mini motorbikes.”

Mr McCulley, 40, who spent three weeks in a coma after being blown up by an improvised device in 2011 while in Afghanistan, said he met the duke during exercises on Salisbury Plain more than 10 years ago, before the duke was sent to Afghanistan.

He added: “I was in 40 Commando and we were doing what’s called final training exercise, before we deploy to Afghanistan, and he was attached to my unit and my job was basically to look after him.

“He was only a young 2nd lieutenant then, he did say to me ‘ah yes’ (when we met) and I said, ‘last time we met we were in a tent together’, and he said, ‘let’s not talk about it’.”

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The Duke of Sussex is presented with the Sword of Honour (Chris Jackson/PA)

Mr McCulley, who was with his team mates for a two-day bonding event at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, said: “Harry had a job to do, he was going to be a forward air controller and so, as he would be out on the ground, he would be attached to different units and for this exercise he was attached to our unit – basically it was a test exercise before you go and do the business.”

James Holder, co-founder of clothing brand Superdry, is the driving force behind the racing team, a project in collaboration with the Invictus Games Foundation which develops the legacy of Harry’s sporting Invictus championship for wounded service personnel.

Harry inspects the ranks at Lympstone, Devon
Harry inspected the ranks at Lympstone, Devon (Chris Jackson/PA)

In his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines the duke spent much of the day at the centre speaking to new recruits, instructors, senior officers and charity workers supporting the marines family, to learn what it takes to be awarded and wear the coveted green beret.

When he met more than a dozen trainees, just a fortnight into 32 weeks of training, Harry quipped: “Are you all a bit like rabbits in the headlights? You’re going to need each other that’s for sure.”

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The Duke of Sussex met marines and their families (Chris Jackson/PA)

The duke, who served as an Army officer for ten years, added: “It’s going to be blood sweat and tears.

“Every single time you end up going to bed where you’re crying, or got a sore leg, or an emotional issue you have to deal with – but it is without doubt probably one of the best professions you can ever be involved with.”