Prince Harry Serving On The Front Line

AP
Published: February 28, 2008

    LONDON (AP) - Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in
Afghanistan with the British Army, the Ministry of Defense said
Thursday.
    Officials said the prince, a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals
regiment, was still deployed in the country.
    “His conduct on operations in Afghanistan has been exemplary,“
said the head of the army. Gen. Richard Dannatt. “He has been
fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone
else in his battle group.“
    Harry, who is third in line to the throne, has been in
Afghanistan since December. The story was leaked by an Australian
magazine and a German newspaper.
    Dannatt said he was “very disappointed” that the story had
leaked.
    Harry, 23, has been fighting in the restive Helmand province,
where most of the 7,800 British troops in Afghanistan are based.
    Last year military chiefs ruled Harry could not be sent to Iraq
with his regiment because publicity surrounding his deployment
could put him and his unit at risk.