I'm no fan of royalty and monarchies, but I thought this story is something of an object lesson to our American Chickenhawk aristocracy on the duties that come with privilege.
Prince Harry: "Doesn't want to let the rest of the lads and lasses down."
It is being reported by Britain's Daily Mail newspaper that Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, has threatened to resign his commission as an officer in the British Army if he is not allowed to accompany his unit should it be deployed for combat operations in Iraq or Afghanistan.
One experienced commander said: "Second Lt Wales will, as far as is possible, be treated like any other officer but there has to be a line drawn as to whether the men he leads might experience extra danger due to his presence. Decisions will be taken by commanding officers based on an accurate risk assessment at the time."
But sources close to Harry said last night: "He will go bananas if he is given special treatment. He doesn't want to let the rest of the lads and lasses down by opting out."
Having recently been passed out of the British Sandhurst military academy, Prince Harry has been commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the "Blues and Royals" of the Household Cavalry Regiment. The Blues and Royals are equipped with the FV107 Scimitar light reconnaisance tank:
The Household Cavalry - made up of the Blues and Royals and the Life Guards - is one of the most active units in the British Army and its most senior and oldest regiment.
It has troops attached to the Paras and the Marines, took part in the invasion of Iraq and has since deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Next month, a squadron of the Household Cavalry will go to Afghanistan in support of 16 Air Assault Brigade. A second squadron is on standby to deploy to Iraq this year and another is preparing to back 3 Commando Brigade when it departs to Afghanistan later this year.
The Scimitar units would be expected to engage in some of the most dangerous types of combat operations:
The mobility of the Blues and Royals' light Scimitar reconnaissance vehicles will be a great value in Afghanistan and senior commanders say the Cavalry unit could be sent to Helmand province to support Paras in what is regarded as one of the most dangerous parts of the world.
Harry would command a troop of 11 men who would drive into the front line in their Scimitars.
He would lead his men in searching possibly booby-trapped buildings, hunting down insurgents and providing escorts and combat support to infantry operations.
The prince is considered a young officer of some promise. Toward the end of his Sandhurst training he participated in exercises as a commanding officer, with his performace rated as "outstanding." Meanwhile, in the egalitarian republic on this side of the pond: