Off to War He'll Go: British Army Clarifies Plans for Prince Harry

Harry during a training exercise in 2005. (Pool Photo - Reuters)

LONDON, April 30 -- Our story so far:

Harry, the young warrior prince, wants to go to Iraq to fight with his mates. The puckish 22-year-old second lieutenant confesses that he loves "running down a ditch full of mud, firing bullets."

Much public angst ensues. Everybody loves Harry, the rosy-cheeked younger son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Nobody wants him harmed, and nobody wants him to be a Royal Target and put his mates at unnecessary risk from insurgents enthusiastic to stick a dagger in Britain's collective heart.

In February, Defense Secretary Des Browne announces that Harry is going to war. It's official: His unit ships out later this year -- perhaps sometime very, very soon.

More angst follows, but it is generally drowned out by much proud talk of generations of the royal family serving in wars dating back to the days when they were fought with swords and horses and men in steel loincloths. Even Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother, served briefly as a 19-year-old member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II, doing maintenance work on Army vehicles.

The last royal to see combat action was Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, who served during the Falklands War 25 years ago. Sure, say the critics, but is cruising to Argentina really the same as commanding troops in Iraq, where a dozen British soldiers have been killed this month alone?

Then last Thursday, the tabloids worked themselves up into a brand new Harry Frenzy.

"Harry Won't Fight," screamed the Sun, using one syllable more than usual for a three-word tabloid headline.

The paper rolled out the big "SUN EXCLUSIVE" logo, clearly still feeling cocky after its world-beating scoop two weeks ago that Harry's brother, Prince William, and girlfriend Kate Middleton were kaputsky.

The problem: Army chiefs were reconsidering Harry's deployment. With violence spiking off the charts in Basra, the defense ministry, Charles and Elizabeth seemed to be having a little re-think about sending the Lad. Had anyone really, really, really thought through the consequences of Harry's death? And what if Harry were kidnapped? Is Britain ready for the truly unspeakable possibilities of that?

Last month Britain was knocked for a loop when Iran scooped up 14 British sailors and marines and held them in Tehran for two weeks. Presumably Harry, a highly trained member of one of the Army's most elite units, would not, as one of the captured sailors did, cry a bucket of terrified tears because an Iranian meanie said he looked like Mr. Bean. But visions of Princess Diana's baby boy on grainy insurgent videos on the Internet are a nightmare no one dares contemplate too closely.

Some have suggested that if Harry has to go to Iraq, maybe a desk job on base might be a better idea.