Is Prince Harry brave to have gone out to Afghanistan or just determined to get his own way? writes blogger Charlie Cashdan.

Surely by being there he has put the lives of his fellow soldiers in danger?  Is this a fair thing to do just so that he can experience what he referred to as normality and escape the British press?

May I suggest that if he wants to have a more normal existence without endangering others and doing a PR stunt of epic proportions disappearing off to foreign parts, he could try doing charity work here in his own country just like his mother did instead of falling out of posh nightclubs at all hours after drinking £500 bottles of champagne in VIP rooms.

If he just kept his head down, he wouldn’t be in the papers so much would he?

If you don’t like having your pictures taken, just stay home more often, watch Eastenders, have an early night, have friends round for dinner, stay in with a DVD and a bottle of wine like normal people do.

Public money pays for you Harry, so we have a right to see what you are up to and to have an opinion on it.

Isn’t it his duty to serve us as we pay for him?

Is going off to Afghanistan the best way to do that?

Personally I would prefer it if he stayed in this country volunteering at homeless shelters, soup kitchens, hospitals, green projects etc, using his celebrity in a positive way to shine a light on needy causes, putting it to good use rather than partying, polo and privilege.

Isn’t there something a bit wrong about a member of the royal family endorsing a war which so many people in this country feel strongly against?

It seems so out of touch with the mood of the country, especially hearing on the news today that armed forces stationed Peterborough have been told to dress down in public because they have been getting abuse, so strong is the feeling against the war on terror.

Long gone are the days when royal kings and princes gained the respect of their subjects by being successful in battle.

Who have been the most popular royals over the last 50 years?  The Queen for her devotion to duty, her restraint, her quiet and stoic nature and Dianna for all her charity and humanitarian work.

Not a warrior in sight then?  And thank goodness!

Harry, take note, we need peace and compassion in this modern world so put down your weapons, pack in the partying (he has been snapped out partying with his girlfriend within days of getting back from Afghanistan – no change there then!) become one of the greatest, bravest humanitarians of our age – change the world – then we will respect you.

No you won’t be ordinary, but you’ll be extraordinary and isn’t that worth the sacrifice?

Agree with Charlie? Post your comments below.