Harry 'shielded' from war
2006-04-24 14:04
London - Britain's Prince Harry, an army
officer and third in line to the throne, may be shielded from
the frontline if his unit is sent to war, the Ministry of
Defence said on Monday.
Harry's deployment or continuing presence in a conflict zone
might be brought into question if the prince, who graduated as
an army officer this month, were to become a specific target,
the ministry said.
There is a tradition of British royals serving in the armed
forces. Harry's uncle, the Duke of York, flew a helicopter in
the Falkland's War in 1982 and his great-grandfather King George
VI saw action in World War One.
Harry, 21, who is in the infantry and is training to command
11 men and four light tanks in an armed reconnaissance unit, has
insisted he wants a frontline role.
However, a ministry spokesperson said his role would have to
be carefully monitored.
Dangers involved
"The intention is that Prince Harry will undertake the
fullest range of deployments, both operational and training," a
ministry spokesperson said.
"But on occasions there may be some circumstances where his
overt presence might attract additional attention that could
increase the potential risk to those he commands or himself,"
she said.
Harry, whose mother Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash
when he was 12, is a Second Lieutenant in the Household Cavalry.
The regiment is due to go to Iraq next year and British soldiers
are also deployed in Afghanistan.
Harry, once dubbed a wild child for underage drink and drug
antics, made it clear in an interview to mark his 21st birthday
this year that he would not shy away from action and the
ministry stressed that he joined to become an "operational
soldier".
"There is no way I am going to put myself through Sandhurst
(military academy) and then sit on my arse back home while my
boys are out fighting for their country," he said.
Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, the heir to the
British throne.