While Prince Harry prepares for his six-month deployment in Iraq, his girlfriend, Chelsy Davy flew into Rio de Janeiro last week, on another leg of her world tour. She is reported to have thrown herself into the party spirit of the world’s most famous carnival.

Chelsy stayed in a £150-a-night hotel near Ipanema and spent her days sunbathing and swimming on the famous beaches before heading for Rio’s top nightspots to party until almost dawn. She was accompanied by her brother Shawn and four friends.

They went to the Ta Na Rua nightclub in the seedy Lapa district of the city said to be the haunt of pickpockets, muggers and drug dealers.

An onlooker reported, “At one point Chelsy went on to the balcony of the club overlooking the square and danced with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. She didn’t look like she had a care in the world. I don’t think Prince Harry was on her mind.

“She danced with her three girlfriends, her brother and another boy who was with one of the girls. Chelsy had obviously done her homework because it’s a great club and not on the usual tourist trail. It’s the Brazilian equivalent of another place she loves — Boujis in Kensington.

“While she was in the club a couple of Brazilian guys tried to chat her up but she didn’t encourage them. She just carried on dancing with her friends.”

Another clubber said, “Chelsy was feeling uncomfortable about the attention she was getting from another Brazilian guy. They grabbed a cab and left — presumably for the place where they were staying.”

The Daily Mail reports, “After the Carnival ended on Tuesday, Chelsy and Shawn flew out to another beach resort, the next stop on their tour of Latin America. Their trip is being paid for by their millionaire father Charles Davy, who made most of his fortune from big-game hunting in Africa.”

We’re told that bookmakers in Los Angeles are already paying out on bets that Helen Mirren will win Best Actress Oscar for her brilliant and sympathetic portrayal of the Queen.

Speculation has been rife about whether the Queen has seen the film and what she thought about it. Now it has emerged that HM has invited Mirren to lunch on her return from Los Angeles, where she is currently enjoying the run-up to tomorrow’s Academy Awards.

Royal sources say : “Helen will go as herself but the Queen is keen for her to put on the voice and do the mannerisms when they meet up. The Queen has seen the film and she thinks it is terrific. Not many people realize but the Queen has a wonderful sense of humour and will find it very funny if Helen performs for her at the table.”

Many years ago when Prince Charles was young and eligible, Helen Mirren said she would like to marry him because she would make a great Queen. Well, she made a great Queen, but not in the way she expected.

Maybe it’s better that way.

The UK Ministry of Defence and Clarence House have issued a joint statement on the deployment of Prince Harry to Iraq :

A joint statement from the Ministry of Defence and Clarence House about the operational deployment of Cornet Wales. 22nd February 2007

We can confirm today that Prince Harry will deploy to Iraq later this year in command of a troop from ‘A Squadron’ of the Household Cavalry Regiment.

Whilst in Iraq Cornet Wales will carry out a normal troop commander’s role, involving leading a troop of 12 men in four Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles, each with a crew of three.

The decision to deploy him has been a military one, made by The Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, in conjunction with Cornet Wales’ commanding officer. The Royal Household has been consulted throughout.

Speculation about precisely where Cornet Wales will serve, or the exact details of his role, is potentially dangerous. The Ministry of Defence and Clarence House are writing to ask all media organisations to respect this matter of operational security in order that Cornet Wales can undertake a normal tour of duty, which is his express wish and that of the Army.

A Statement by Royal Anecdotes

Good luck, Harry. Give ‘em hell. Come home safely.

The Press Assocation has just put out the following, confirming what we reported here at Royal Anecdotes this morning :

“Prince Harry’s regiment will learn on Thursday whether it is to be sent to Iraq in the latest round of troop deployments.

“Defence Secretary Des Browne will brief MPs on Thursday [tomorrow] on which military units will be sent to Iraq in April as part of a long-planned rotation of troops, said the Ministry of Defence.

“A spokesman refused to reveal which units were involved, or to indicate whether Harry’s regiment, the Blues and Royals, will be among those deployed.

“But speculation is rife that the Prince, who is third in line to the Throne, will become the first Royal to serve a tour of duty in a war-zone since his uncle, the Duke of York, flew helicopters in the Falklands conflict in 1982.

“Mr Browne’s announcement will come in a written statement to the House of Commons, said the MoD.”