Prince Harry was reported yesterday to have said that he would resign his commission from the British Army if he were not allowed to follow his troops to fight in Iraq.

Prince Harry, 21, third in line to the throne, and recently passed out from Sandhurst as a Second Lieutenant, said in an interview last year, “There’s no way I’m going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit on my arse back home while my boys are out fighting for their country.” He is believed to have repeated the sentiment recently.

Prince Charles’s office issued a statement last night, saying, “On occasion, there may be some circumstances in which his overt presence might attract additional attention and increase the risk for his regiment and for himself. In these instances, it is a judgment call which would principally be made by his commanding officer.”