Harry determined to fight
2006-04-23 08:46
London - Prince Harry is threatening to quit the British army if he is not allowed to join fellow soldiers in harm's way, the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported.
"If I am not allowed to join my unit in a war zone, I will hand in my uniform," he was quoted as telling senior officers before his passing-out from Sandhurst military academy, southwest of London, on April 12.
Harry, 21, third in line to the throne now occupied by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth, who turned 80 on Friday, will now join the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry regiment, serving in an armoured reconnaissance unit.
As 2nd Lieutenant Harry Wales, he is to become a troop commander, in charge of 11 enlisted men and four light tanks - a task that could see him sent to Iraq or Afghanistan in the coming year.
The Mail on Sunday, quoting senior army sources, said there is concern in the Ministry of Defence that Harry could become a "trophy target" for insurgents - endangering not only him, but also the troops at his side.
"He will go bananas if he is given special treatment," an unnamed source close to the prince was quoted as saying. "He doesn't want to let the rest of the lads and lasses down by opting out."
- AFP