(dpa) - The top brass of the British Army is expected to decide shortly whether Prince Harry should remain on active service in Afghanistan after his deployment there was leaked to the press, reports said Friday.
The 23-year-old prince was sent to Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province just before Christmas, with British media agreeing on a news blackout pact with the government until his expected return after a four-month tour.
But after his 10-week presence in Afghanistan was leaked on a US website, discussions are under way about how much longer he will stay in the war zone.
Harry, third in line to the throne, said himself in a BBC interview that he was a "top target" for insurgents.
"Quite worrying, now that I think about it," he said.
Britain's tabloid newspapers Friday hailed Harry as the "hero prince," while some commentators criticized the "collusion" between the authorities and the media to keep his deployment secret.