Prince Harry's Squadron To Go to Iraq

Prince Henry Charles Albert David, Harry for short, was introduced to the world in September 1984 as a newborn in his mother's arms, jokingly referred to as the junior half of the "heir and a spare" after William's birth in June 1982.

The next iconic image of Harry was that of a little red-haired boy in a suit and tie, nine days shy of his 13th birthday, walking behind his mother's funeral cortege in September 1997 as hundreds of millions of people watched live on television. Although Britain's tabloid newspapers generally regard the royal family as juicy red meat, William and Harry have received relatively gentle coverage growing up in the global spotlight following Diana's death.

The princes are in the public eye most often over speculation about their love lives. William's girlfriend, Kate Middleton, has emerged as a potential bride of the future king. Harry is frequently seen with Chelsy Davy, a Zimbabwe-born heiress who lives in South Africa. While William and Kate maintain a relatively reserved public profile, Harry and Chelsy tend to be a bit wilder.

Both princes are continuing the royal family's long military tradition. William, 24, graduated from Sandhurst in December and is training to become a troop commander in the Blues and Royals as well. It is unclear whether William will be -- or wants to be -- assigned to combat duty.

The Blues and Royals unit is part of the Royal Household Cavalry, the army's oldest regiment, which traces its roots to 1652. It has taken part in all Britain's major operations in recent decades, including the Falklands War, both Persian Gulf wars, Bosnia and Kosovo.

The last royal to see combat was Harry's uncle Prince Andrew, who served as a helicopter pilot in the Falklands. Prince Charles spent five years in the Royal Navy in the 1970s, qualifying as a helicopter pilot but never seeing combat action. Harry's grandfather Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, fought in World War II. Harry's great-grandfather and great-great-grandfathers were also military commanders.

On the London streets, several people interviewed supported sending Harry to war.

"He should not get any special treatment because he is a royal," said Susan Gibson, 46. "If you do sign up, it's part of your job. Nobody will know who he is anyways. Well, he has red hair. But he'll wear gear, right?"

Fernando Moya, 31, a filmmaker drinking coffee in a cafe, called it "not a typical thing for a royal to do."

He said he was sure the British military would take special steps to keep Harry safe.

"He's not going to be treated like a normal soldier, and it will probably cost a lot of money to keep him safe," Moya said. "But at least he's going. It shows his boldness, and he is being brave."