Harry deployed in Afghanistan since December

Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, the Ministry of Defence...

Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan with the British Army, the Ministry of Defence said on 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 deployment was not reported due to an agreement between the Ministry of Defence and news organisations. The story was leaked by an Australian magazine and a German newspaper.

Dannatt said he was “very disappointed” that the story had leaked. Defence officials added that Britain was reviewing Harry’s presence in Afghanistan following the leaks. “The chief of the general staff will be making a statement about the situation shortly, but what I can say at this time is that we are reviewing his presence there,” a spokesman for the ministry said on Thursday.

Harry, 23, has been fighting in the restive Helmand province, where most of the 7,800 British troops in Afghanistan are based.