The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that Prince William will spend time with Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff, and General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, when he returns to his Army service in September.

Intriguingly, he will also serve with the Special Forces, the SAS, and possibly the SBS, but will not be involved in forward operations. This placement is at his own request, the BBC reports.

In the four or five months remaining of his military service, William will be shown what goes on at the very apex of the Services’ hierarchy with the highest of the top brass, deep in the MoD building in Whitehall. It will be the culmination of an action-packed and wide-ranging three-year training period to prepare him for his future role as Head of the Armed Forces.

From tomorrow, the Prince will be on holiday in Mustique with girlfriend Kate Middleton, who has already flown out to the Caribbean to be with him. It has been reported that she refused a free upgrade to First Class on the BA flight, preferring to be treated like everyone else. “Please call me Kate,” she told cabin crew, putting an end to recent confusion over her preferred name.

On the couple’s return, they are expected to spend a week with the Queen and the Prince of Wales at Balmoral in Scotland. Some news sources are claiming that plans for a summer wedding next year are well underway and will be put to bed in August. At the very least a hint of an announcement may just leak out of the grand Scottish castle to set Royalist hearts aflutter all over again.

In the BBC footage this morning I was struck by William’s growing maturity and poise. In full Navy kit he no longer resembles his mother, but bears a striking likeness to the young Prince Philip, his grandfather.

It’s a very good omen.

More details are emerging about the on-off shambles of Prince Harry’s deployment to Iraq with the Blues and Royals.

General Sir Richard Dannatt

We are hearing that the decision has left him “devastated” and reconsidering his long-term military career. Did no one think of all this when he joined the Army in the first place, not as a training exercise like Prince William, but as a full-time career Army officer?

In fact, it’s now a distinct possibility that he will be put on a similar path as his brother. William is to leave his regiment shortly for short spells with the RAF and the Royal Navy to prepare for his future role as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Royal sources are now hinting that Harry may accompany him.

Until then, the Prince will join William in D Squadron of the Blues and Royals, a holding unit that never fights in the field and which is made up of injured soldiers unfit to serve or those preparing to leave the regiment.

The other alternative is to put him in a UN peacekeeping force in Africa or another troublespot where he is unlikely to face kidnap and public torture. If he is deployed, it will be under conditions of absolute secrecy.

Since he now believes he has lost credibility as a professional soldier, the likelihood is that he has secretly agreed to a lesser role for a year or two, before quietly resigning from the Army.

But what then for the warrior Prince?

Following Royal Anecdotes’ open letter to Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, the General has just announced that he has decided against the deployment of Prince Harry to Iraq.

The Army chief travelled personally to Basra to assess the dangers both to Harry and his men. He talked to all concerned, including Special Forces who would have been involved in his protection, and has now made his decision.

Clarence House has commented, “Prince Harry will be very disappointed, but will remain in the Army”.

General Sir Richard Dannatt also said that he has spoken with Harry’s commanding officer about ways to facilitate the Prince’s future career as an Army officer. Harry is expected to be promoted to full Lieutenant next year.

Updated

We’re hearing that Prince Harry’s deployment to Iraq has been delayed. He is now due to be flown out later than most of his squadron.

Rebecca English reports : “Senior Blues and Royals officers are concerned that his presence during the initial handover between units will be too disruptive. It will also give them time to put in place the measures needed to deal with having such a senior member of the Royal Family in a war zone.”

Security sources reportedly said that Harry and the troop of 11 soldiers he commands were being held back. It is the strongest proof yet that both the Army and the Ministry of Defence continue to have serious concerns about his deployment, despite an urgent review last week.

“The deployment of Harry’s squadron is, by necessity, staggered but the fact that Harry and his men are being sent over at a later date shows just how much a strain his presence will have on the squadron,” the source said.

“Everyone involved has sympathy for the Prince but it is an increasingly difficult situation and one that is changing day by day.”

Let’s hope Sir Richard Dannatt is having second thoughts.