PA reports Prince Harry in Afghanistan
The Press Association has reported that Prince Harry has been serving on the front line in Afghanistan for 10 weeks. The news was leaked by The Drudge Report and reluctantly confirmed by the Ministry of Defence.
It seems likely that Harry will be recalled, as he will now become the one and only target of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
The PA report states :
Prince Harry has been fighting the Taliban on the front line in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
The 23-year-old Household Cavalry officer has spent the past 10 weeks secretly serving in war-ravaged Helmand Province.
The deployment had been cloaked in secrecy under a news blackout deal agreed across the UK media to prevent details reaching the Taliban and endangering Harry and his comrades.
But the arrangement has broken down after news was leaked out on the US website the Drudge Report.
As part of the deal a group of journalists had visited the Prince in Helmand on condition that details would only be publicised once he was safely back in the UK.
The deal was arranged after Harry’s planned tour to Iraq last year had to be cancelled because of a security risk sparked by publicity.
After the disappointment over Iraq, when Harry was due to work as a Scimitar light tank troop leader, he retrained as a battlefield air controller known as a JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) with a view to going to Afghanistan.
He flew out on December 14, two months into the current winter tour.
He spent several weeks working in Garmsir in the far south of Helmand Province, operating just 500m from front line Taliban positions. He has since left Garmsir to work in another part of Helmand Province, details of which can not be reported for security reasons.
There is no immediate steer from the Ministry of Defence on the future of his deployment.
Let us hope they move him to a place of safety. After 10 weeks, he deserves his medal.
Update: ITN’s Political Editor is suggesting that Harry’s deployment is now over. Everyone is amazed they managed to keep it quiet this long. He was due to stay until April, but will return home a hero having fought on the front line and controlled aircraft movements over various battlefields.
ITN has lengthy interviews with him on the ground. He seems fit, happy and glad to be there. The Queen and Prince Charles have said how proud they are of him, and Prince William has written to him saying how proud their mother would be at this moment.
That was a quick post John!!
Let me tell you, everyone should be extremely proud of Harry for all he has done. Very smart strategy to keep this a secret. This is what I mean by being a hard worker. Let’s pray for a safe return.
This also explains many things regarding Chelsy. They may or not be together, but obvioulsy can’t see each other for the time being so we have to wait to see if they are together.
Congrats to Harry, my favorite royal for achieving his dream of being in combat.
By Marilyn on February 28th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
The Drudge Report was totally irresponsible and as an American I totally denounce their leaking this news. But on the flip side I am extremely happy that he is safe and well. WAY TO GO HARRY YOU ARE A TRUE HERO.
By Trudie on February 28th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Trudie, Now I agree with you. This shouldn’t have been leaked to the media until he returned, but too late now. Yeap, HARRY, a TRUE HERO.
By Marilyn on February 28th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
He sure is, Trudie, let’s hope for his safe, triumphant return.
By John on February 28th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
On the one hand I’m happy for Harry that he had the opportunity to prove himself as a commander, on the other hand I’m obviously worried for his safety. I hope he does not need to be removed from service now, but it’s better to have him back home safely than as victim of the Taliban.
Has anybody paid attention to the small talk in the 4th installment of the BBC documentary on the RF between HM and Gordon Brown? She talked about Harry and Afgahanistan and Gordon Brown said that they’ll support him as good as they can. That just came back to me now that it’s public that he indeed went.
By Isana on February 28th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Who care who was the first to leak it the damage is now done and he is coming home a Hero. I guess now William will finally propose to Kate to steal Harry’s thunder.
By Trudie on February 28th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Is there any kind of sibling rivalry between them?
By Marilyn on February 28th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
No, it’s only their “fans” and the media who constantly make all sorts of comparisons. William, IMO, never tried to take away any “thunder” from his brother and certainly won’t now either. But I guess it’s a bit of support for the “underdog”, i.e. Harry, who does get a lot of undeserved criticism in the press. Hence it’s understandable that some overvalue his virtues . Yet I don’ think there’s a reason to put one down to make the other one look better. I’m sur eWilliam is proud of Harry and will be happy to have him back home safely.
By Isana on February 28th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I don’t believe there’s any significant sibling rivalry, apart from a bit of banter.
We all knew Harry was serving somewhere since before Christmas. I think William and Kate have deliberately kept out of the limelight to avoid having to answer stray questions.
By John on February 28th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I am so angry with Matt Drudge for leaking this story that I am on my fifth revision of a furious email to Drudge in which my language is so heated that the keyboard almost burst into flames! As an American, I also denounce Drudge and I apologize to the Royal Family and all Britons for the shameless and unforgiveable irresponsibility of Matt Drudge and the American media in general. Let us all pray that Prince Harry remains safe, no thanks to Matt Drudge. I am very proud of Prince Harry and am so happy for him that he has been able to serve on the front lines with his unit, as he wished. I admire him for his courage, gallantry and determination, and also admire the Queen for allowing him to serve in a forward area.
By Gigi on February 28th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I knew Harry was up to something. It’s great to know he has served his time over there. I agree with William, their mother is very proud. So am I.
By Claudius on February 28th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Gigi and Trudie, as an American, I echo your sentiments completely. It is bad enough how Matt Drudge and his Drudge Report create innuendo or disclose leaks that recklessly and, often unfairly and inaccurately, put the lives and careers of many Americans at risk. To do this to citizens of other countries, particularly members of the Royal Family, who are probably recognized with the status of diplomat and/or foreign public official by the US government, is deplorable and shameful. I hope that the British people will separate Matt Drudge’s callous actions from the feelings of allegiance and bonhomie felt by the overwhelming majority of Americans toward their friends in the UK.
By Lisa on February 28th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
agreed. drudge was totally irresponsible for leaking this information – puts several including Prince Harry in danger.
By coni on February 28th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I agree Lisa and Gigi!!! It is very shameful.
Does anyone think that this might also be related to Harry and Chelsy’s “breakup”? Could their troubles just have been a response to his deployment?
By Cate on February 28th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I am sorry, John and everyone, but I simply must get this off my chest. I am simply livid with Drudge over this outrageous betrayal of military secrets. During World War II, troop movements were kept entirely secret by the media in Europe and in America. No news media however desperate for market share was so base as to put troops in peril by revealing classified information. What on earth is the matter with the media today?! Have they no conscience? Have they no moral compass, no decency, no understanding that their rights to make money end where the rights of others to be safe begin?! If, may God forbid it, Prince Harry or any of his unit are imperiled and killed because of this leak by the media, then Matt Drudge and all other media outlets who broke the agreement for silence will have blood on their hands. This is more than merely a moral crisis, this is treachery, this is betrayal of the worst possible kind. This is dishonor.
By Gigi on February 28th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
As an American, I echo the previous entry. I am so ashamed of the Drudge Report. What a cheap, tacky and potentiall dangerous thing to have done. What irresponsible morons they are. They should keep to covering cheesy celebrities and stay out of international news.
So sorry………….
By Emeline on February 28th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
To be accurate, the story of Harry’s deployment was reported in the Australian magazine New Idea almost two months ago. The London Times has a link to the story on its website (The NI story is dated January 7th.) Matt Drudge is an embarrassment to Americans everywhere, but it was a Commonwealth press outlet that broke the press ban. Apparently no one reads New Idea, so Harry’s open secret lay under the radar until today.
By Dan on February 28th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
That does not exonerate Matt Drudge one iota in my view. I would not blame the British one bit if they feel that Americans can never be trusted, even in matters of honor, even in matters of life and death. This whole thing makes me sick.
By Gigi on February 28th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I also find it suspicious that, now that Harry’s “secret” is out, we find there is practically a full blown documentary ready-made of Harry’s tour of duty, available now on most of Britain’s news websites. If this was supposed to be a military secret, why were pool reporters sent in not just to interview him but also his fellow soldiers about what it’s like to be “serving with a real prince?” Rather than accidentally stumbling upon him in the course of war reporting, it seems the reporters were sent in specifically to report this story. That’s hardly the way to keep a secret!
I don’t think anyone in the press or the MoD is blameless in this affair, which suddenly has the smell of a PR campaign all about it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he had been scheduled to come home at this time, and rather than have his deployment reported in the papers when Harry is already safe back at Mahiki, this is a way to put an air of risk around it, as well as make sure he gets a war hero’s proper welcome home rather than an unassuming slip in Heathrow’s back door. Imagine how anti-climactic it would have been to learn he had been deployed to the front lines only AFTER he had returned. It’s doubtful anyone would have believed it.
I agree that revealing Harry’s deployment is scandalously irresponsible and reckless, but I think Matt Drudge is only one cog in this wheel.
By Dan on February 28th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I would guess that the documentary was the trade-off for full reporting from the beginning. I’m the story will be good for all the media, now that it’s out. And they’d all want to have something prepared and ready to go, whether the deployment had a favorable or tragic ending.
By Evelyn on February 28th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Actually New Idea is an Austrailian tab so I doubt that was taken seriously a month ago. Dredge is more mainstream and respected. And to Answer the ? about W & H having a rivalry It was very evident during the Diana interviews last summer when William made comments about Harry serving and his subtle put downs. Dan if they hadn’t made a pact with the media his cover would have been blown and as he was out of the country it could have been assumed he was in Canada or on any British base. He probably is on a plane home now.
By Trudie on February 28th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Gigi you really need to calm down. This story was out in Oz and in Germany early last month. If Britain didn’t trust us it certainly would not be because of Dredge.
By Trudie on February 28th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Here’s an interesting quote from Drudge’s site:
“Army chiefs have managed to keep the prince away from media and have encourage fellow soldiers in his squadron to stay quiet.”
That’s certainly not true, since Harry and the boys have all clearly been given the full Barbara Walters treatment already, presumably with approval from the MoD.
Harry also said something interesting in his interview, available on the Independent’s website. I can’t quote it exactly, but he acknowledges to the reporter that the secret will be out “now that you’re here”, or something to that effect. Well, why not refuse the interview? Harry has certainly not made a point of granting many interviews in the past. Why do it while on the ground in Afghanistan?
I don’t believe in the tactic of granting interviews in exchange for press silence. Press silence is an oxymoron. The Palace, the MoD, and certainly Harry himself should know that by now.
By Dan on February 28th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I also believe that the Family will have agreed to this press silence only very reluctantly. The Queen has an innate and lifelong sense of duty to her country that she has passed on to her children and grandchildren, and none of them has any interest in their service to the country being specially protected or kept secret.
I expect the press agreement was that it would be kept secret only until after he was on the ground, in order to avoid months of speculative run-up in the press (during his retraining from troop leader to air controller) that would have lead to sensational threats from terrorists seeking to capitalize on global attention to his pending deployment. That’s what derailed his Iraq tour: Terrorists realized they could get media attention by threatening him personally.
Once he was on the ground and encamped, and not in imminent threat of being specifically targeted, it was clear to the MoD that it was safe to send the press in to document his service, and after that all agreements to “silence” were satisfied. The Prince got his service on the front line, the press got its interviews, and the Royal Family can spend the next thousand years (and beyond) celebrating Prince Harry’s heroism on the battlefield.
The Royal Family neither wants nor has any interest in its members being specially protected in battle. Do you honestly believe the Queen or Prince Philip expect that their grandson should be protected by the press while on the battlefield, or should otherwise serve in silence until he is safely back at the Palace? Both the Queen and Prince Philip know what service in wartime means. They have served, and they expect their children and grandchildren to serve openly and with distinction.
I imagine the Queen bridled at this notion of protecting Harry while he nobly served his country. I also imagine she’s happy his service is out in the open, where her country (to say nothing of the rest of the world) can be as proud of him as she is.
By Dan on February 29th, 2008 at 1:59 am
This is quite honorable of Prince Harry. He has said for months he wanted to serve, I am so glad that he got to go. Please Harry return safely. Very proud to see this news. Please stay safe Harry.
By U.S. on February 29th, 2008 at 2:06 am
First of all, Trudie, the name is Drudge, not Dredge, although insofar as I am concerned, his name is mud. For another thing, I do not need to calm down. As an American, I have the right to be and indeed am deeply upset about an American journalist holding so cheaply the lives and safety of soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, among them Prince Harry that this journalist would betray the trust agreement to keep silent on troop locations during a war. Anyone who thinks that such behavior is neither serious nor heinous needs to take a more serious view of these very serious matters. I do not care if some insignificant paper in Australia printed this first. It was shouted to the entire world by Matt Drudge and my guess is that most people learned of this by reading his online news source. That is where I first learned of it, not in RA, not in the British online news, not, most assuredly in an Australian newspaper I never heard of until Dan posted about it. Let’s just hope no one gets killed because of this.
By Gigi on February 29th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Gigi- You go girl!!!
By Lisa on February 29th, 2008 at 3:43 am
Trudie, many people watched the Diana interviews and saw nothing but funny and fun banter between close siblings that love each other . Also, William hasn’t attempted to do anything to ‘steal Harry’s thunder’ in the past, so there’s no reason to supposed he will do it in the future. Perhaps you saw a different set of interviews from the ones the rest of us saw?
William is obviously extremely proud and protective of his brother, and rightly so. Any perceived rivalry is the figment of overactive imaginations who have nothing better to do than imagine discord between two brothers who are obviously very close.
By mapleleaf on February 29th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I’m proud of Harry, he deserves praise and respect for his willingness to do his duty and to show another generation of people how the members of the Royal Family continue to be relevant. I read in one article that a soldier said it lifted his spirits to be serving alongside a member of the Royal Family. Harry’s service on the front lines is a big morale booster for many people.
I remember the articles about Harry’s wonderful spoken tribute to their mother at the Thanksgiving service for Diana. Most of the articles carried Harry’s statement that he and William worked on the words for that heartfelt statement together.
And during the interview with Matt Lauer last summer about the Diana concert, Harry said that he and William were only able to confide in each other about their sorrow over their mother’s death.
It’s plain that Prince Harry and Prince William are emotionally close, and that they rely on each other. They seem to be friends as well as brothers, and I’d bet that William is bursting with pride for his little brother. I hope Harry makes it back home to the U.K. safe and sound.
By mapleleaf on February 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Well said Gigi, I hope that you peppered any correspondence to Drudge with some choice Anglo-Saxon expletives.
Gigi I feel as angry as you seem to be about this break of trust but don’t worry our ‘special relationship’ remains good and intact, just had a slight dent that’s all.
Regarding Harry’s front line service I dare bet that Uncle Andrew will be very pleased for him as he was a front line helicopter pilot for months during the Falklands war.
By Royalist on February 29th, 2008 at 9:01 am
We knew Harry was in a dangerous spot around Christmas. On reflection it could only have been Afghanistan since the Iraq effort has been reduced to the Basra airport base and a training mission — with some naval oil protection at sea.
There was no real alternative location for him. It’s quite possible the Aussie rag made the same guess. Drudge, however, seems to have reported this in full knowledge of the media blackout.
Drudge is not America, so Americans shouldn’t feel guilty about it. It could easily have been a British anti-Royal website.
The MoD knew that if he were deployed there, the press would hear about it very quickly. People close to the action do sell highly-charged stories to the media. So, the only way for Harry to be able to go was by agreement. The press needed a quid pro quo so the old ploy of the promise of a biggie at a later date, plus documentary-type footage for the TV stations, was put in place. It was the only way Harry could get out of the country.
He was spirited in by the SAS, and I’m sure he has now been spirited out, whatever the MoD says : “We are considering the future of his deployment” is the gist of it. Huh! they will already have had a contingency plan.
So let’s celebrate his 10-week stint fighting for his country — and, of course, NATO, whose mission this is.
By John on February 29th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Well said, John and I very much appreciate your sentiments and those of Royalist and Lisa. I am bursting with pride for Prince Harry and am so very happy for him that he has had his chance to serve in a forward area, as he wished to do. I am sorry that his tour had to be cut short by two weeks, however, and only hope that the Prince arrives safely back in the UK. As soon as we know for certain that Prince Harry is safely back in the Kingdom, we shall celebrate with a Royal Anecdotes Gala “Hail the Conquering Hero Comes” Tea! What a tremendous blessing for Britain to have two Princes of the splendid character and sterling qualities of Prince Harry and Prince William!
By Gigi on February 29th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Gigi, I can tell by your description that I’m going to have to starve myself for days in preparation for your party.
By John on February 29th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
By Gigi on February 29th, 2008 at 6:28 pm