Britain's Prince Harry has threatened to quit the army if he is banned from fighting in Iraq, it has been claimed. Harry reportedly insisted he will abandon his duties all together unless he is allowed to fulfill them properly, following Thursday's announcement that Army chiefs called an eleventh-hour meeting to review whether he should see combat.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Harry feels stronger about this today than ever - fighting on the frontline has been his childhood ambition.
"He's already said there's no point going through a year's hard graft at Sandhurst if he can't do it.
"It's very simple, if he's not allowed to fight, he'll walk - and as soon as he can. The generals know that too."
The 22-year-old prince has spent months in special training in preparation for his scheduled deployment to war-torn Iraq next month, where he is due to serve as a 2nd lieutenant for six months. Harry has always maintained he didn't want to be treated differently from his Blues and Royals colleagues.
The Ministry of Defense decided to review Harry's deployment again following the deaths of 11 U.K. troops in Iraq this month.
Opinions over whether the prince - who is third in line to the throne - should be allowed to fight are mixed. Prime Minister Tony Blair said he would be "delighted" if his own son wanted to fight in Iraq, but insisted the issue was a matter "for the military to decide."
Former Conservative defense secretary Michael Portillo told BBC News that Harry should not go to Iraq. He said: "It's clear that he could be a target, either for murder or kidnapping and if that occurred it would be a disaster for Britain."
Harry may be forced to spend his time in Iraq fulfilling office-based duties away from the battlefield - amid ever-increasing concerns that he will be specifically targeted by terrorists and insurgents.
Sources told the BBC that Harry would be "very disappointed" if he is banned from the battlefield but denied he was planning to quit.
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