The retiring royal “went out and saw these soldiers and spoke to them, and the problem went away.”

Though Meghan Markle and her husband are making headlines now for wanting to step away from their royal duties — Queen Elizabeth seems less than enthused about the prospect — there was a time when Prince Harry was using his power as a royal for good. According to a new report, when the Duke of Sussex was doing his required military service, he took it upon himself to protect a gay serviceman who was the subject of homophobic bullying.

“I’d got myself into a bit of a situation with some soldiers from another regiment and, essentially, they didn’t like the fact I was gay,” James Wharton told Forces of the incident. At the time, Harry was his tank commander. “They were sort of chest poking me and making me feel quite uncomfortable.

Apparently, when Wharton got back to his tak, the royal could tel something was off in his demeanor and asked about it.

“I told him that there were a couple of soldiers outside who weren’t very happy with the fact I was gay,’ Wharton recalled of the 2008 incident. “Quite offended that his gunner was being picked on by these people, Prince Harry went out and saw these socilers and spoke to them, and the problem went away.

“He told them off and they left me alone.” The ally we truly need.

Wharton went on to say that the royal was a well-liked and effective officer.