Prince Harry won’t actually be sent to fight in Iraq after all, the British army has announced today blaming “specific threats” to his safety and media attention.
Harry, who is third in line to the British throne, was due to head to southern Iraq in the next few weeks but Army Chief of Staff General Sir Richard Dannatt said the situation there had become too dangerous and the media’s coverage of plans involving Harry made the problem worse.
22-year-old Harry says he is disappointed by the decision but respects it.
"There have been a number of specific threats, some reported and some not reported, that relate directly to Prince Harry as an individual," Dannatt said.
A spokesperson for Harry issued a statement saying the prince is disappointment that "he will not be able to go to Iraq with his troop deployment as he had hoped" but "fully understands Dannatt's difficult decision and remains committed to his army career”.
