LONDON (Reuters) - Prince Harry is being deployed to Iraq where he will become the first British royal to serve in a war zone for 25 years. A defence ministry spokesman said on Thursday the red-haired prince would be sent to Iraq with his "A" Squadron of the Blues and Royals regiment "over the next few months" as part of the latest troop rotation.
| That'll be the best protected squadron in the army, but he still has guts |
But the deployment of the younger son of the late Princess Diana may be a major security headache for military commanders as the prince could be a target for insurgents and a magnet for suicide bombers. "This is like U.S. President George W. Bush sending a son to the frontline. The decision is both dangerous and courageous at the same time," said Evening Standard royal correspondent Robert Jobson. "It is a success for Harry but he has become the number one target for insurgents."
| The SAS troop that'll be guarding him could not be reached for comment |
Harry could be the first member of the royal family to face combat since his uncle, Prince Andrew, flew helicopters in the 1982 Falklands War.
| Acting as a decoy for Exocet missiles |
Harry's great-grandfather, King George VI, saw action in World War One. |