Prince Harry is to be withdrawn from Afghanistan after news broke of him serving there on the front line, the Ministry of Defence have confirmed.
See also: Video: Prince Harry on the front line in Afghanistan
The 23-year-old royal has spent the last 10 weeks serving in Helmand Province.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, had been considering whether Harry should remain in the country.
There had been fears the prince could become a prized target for the Taliban.
Full story and more reports plus four-page picture special in Friday’s Express & Star.
What’s your view? Post your comments below.
16 Comments
Let Harry do what he wants - he is his own man !!!
If he really is a ‘bullet magnet’, there are several valid reasons why he can’t just ‘do what he wants’:
* Any critical operation he is a part of, particularly any sensitive or classified operation, may be compromised by his celebrity status, given that the Taliban/terrorists would be keen to take a shot at him or even kidnap him. Indeed, just going about his normal duties could become much more difficult.
* By being a so-called ‘bullet magnet’, he not only places himself in heightened danger by serving on the front lines but also anybody who serves alongside him. Would you really like to be in Harry’s squad at the moment? Sure, they’ll have his back no matter the case, but it’s hardly fair on them if nothing else.
* If the Taliban or terrorists do manage to gun him down or even worse, capture him, it will be an unprecedented blow for the UK. Imagine what a video of Prince Harry’s head being cut off would do to British morale and terrorist recruitment rates. The political backwash would be enormous.
* He can’t ‘do what he wants’ because he’s in the army, and he has to follow orders!
Cant see why this posh bloke from london is getting all this publicity,is either in the army or he isnt ,gets paid to do a job get on with it or get out.Lets have an English republic and get rid of this nonesance once and forall.
Wouldn’t have been a problem for Harry (and good on him I say) if that idiot Matt Drudge hadn’t leaked the news of Prince Harry being on the front line.
Used to be that our Kings and Princes were warriors and led from the front.
An English Republic? You’re having a laugh! “Any man who is not a socialist at age 20 has no heart.
Any man who is still a socialist at age 40 has no head.” Georges Clemenceau
Good-morning all.
Sad indeed,for his highness having to leave,
and all this due to some idiot!Had it been
kept a secret,he may well have been able to
continue his tour of duty!How long that secret
could have been kept,is something we will never
learn.Hope he can lead a normal life some day!
FJ Bartling,Hilversum,Holland.
#4 - A Republic has nothing to do with socialism. The United States of America is a republic, and we all know how they feel about socialism.
I’m proud of him, the behaviour of that Drugde yank, and mr snow is bordering on treason.
As far as an english republic goes… BLIAR….don’t think so.
I have no head then Gordy !!!
Look it really annoys me when people have a go at the royal family, they may be an odd bunch but she is our Queen. I aint some old royalist saying this i am young man … but come on were english and in a world where everybody is trying to destroy all we believe in, we should tall and say This is our Queen, our royal family and we will respect them
“This is our Queen, our unelected, hereditary head of state…”
If Prine Harry is a so called ‘Bullet Magnate’ why is he seen wearing his own body armour compared to the one our troops are using.Is it much better than the type our troops have got or does it provide no protection at all?
I agree that if Prince Harry had not been ‘exposed’ he would have fought like the rest of the troups without any special treatment. Now that his position has been disclosed it puts all of our troups in danger. He would be the prize target and there would be extra risks for all our men !! He didn’t have to go out there - it just shows his commitment to the country!
Aren’t all our lads out there ‘bullet magnets’?
I wish the smarty-pants reporter who ‘outed’ Harry was sent to Afghanistan. Probably some fat lump behind a computer screen resented a bloke from a privileged background wanting to be ‘real’ and couldn’t handle it.
Good on Harry!!! Shame on those that leaked the information.
From a war widow!!!!
why pull him out unless he wants to his dad wasnt it that served in in the fawklands or somet he knows the risks