Reports: No Iraq For Prince Harry

Britain's Prince Harry will not be sent to Iraq, the British Broadcasting Corp. and Sky News reported Wednesday.

Britain's Ministry of Defense had long said the decision would be kept under review amid concerns for the security of Harry, a second lieutenant, and other soldiers serving with him. Prince Harry is a tank commander trained to lead a 12-man team in four armored reconnaissance vehicles.

Sky News reported that the military has reconsidered its decision to send Prince Harry, the younger son of the late Princess Diana of Wales, into battle — at least for now — after weighing the possible risks of sending the third in line to the British throne into a war zone that seems unlikely to become less dangerous in the near future.

No confirmation of the change in plans from the Ministry of Defense was forthcoming.

Al Qaeda-linked insurgents had vowed to do all in their power to capture or kill Harry if he ended up in Iraq, and most British observers have agreed that if such a thing happened, it would be a huge propaganda boost for the insurgents, and a huge morale hit for the U.K.

Harry has insisted throughout months of debate in Britain that he did want to serve alongside his fellow soldiers, wherever duty should call.

The prince was trained to command a squadron of troops in armored Stryker vehicles, and is still officially destined to lead such a team on reconnaissance missions along Iraq's southern border.

Friends of Prince Harry said several weeks ago that he would not abandon his post in the Army if commanders decided to sideline him, but that he would be terribly disappointed with the decision.