Prince Harry back from Afghan frontline

By Paul Majendie

LONDON (Reuters) - Prince Harry returned home from Afghanistan on Saturday after news leaked out on the Internet that he had been secretly fighting the Taliban for 10 weeks.

The prince was pulled out of the frontline because defence officials feared worldwide coverage of his deployment with the army could endanger him and his fellow soldiers.

He flew back to the Royal Air Force base at Brize Norton to be greeted by Prince Charles and Prince William. Harry went to Afghanistan on active service in December on a four-month deployment.

The 23-year-old, wearing body armour and a green camouflage jacket, ignored television news crews and photographers as he walked across the tarmac chatting to a colleague.

Harry was the first British royal to see combat since Prince Andrew flew helicopters during the Falklands War 25 years ago.

The British media had maintained a voluntary blackout on Harry's Afghan deployment but that collapsed after Web sites in Australia, Germany and the United States leaked the news.

Charles, speaking after being reunited with Prince Harry, said: "I feel particular frustration that he was removed unexpectedly early because apart from anything else, he had been looking forward to coming back with the rest of his regiment.

"With Harry's own plane coming back just now they had to stop and drop off three badly wounded people who had been blown up by mines and it brings home just how hazardous it is."