Yay! New Duchess Kate photos. These are from Christmas morning at Sandringham, where the royal family has their annual Christmas holiday with military precision. Every site has a different color description for Kate’s coat and hat. I’m saying… purple? It’s not dark enough for “eggplant” and there isn’t enough red to be considered “berry” or “burgundy”. Let’s just say a shade of purple. I actually love the coat, and the hat is very cute – Kate has a face for hats. She’s very lucky that way. The hat is by Jane Corbett, the shoes are “£169 black suede heels by Spanish designer Mascaro.” And Kate seems to be wearing new earrings too – The Mail claims they are a gift from William, a pair of $3500 “gold drop” earrings by Kiki McDonough. William has nice taste in jewelry, if they were a gift from William.

Anyway, the royal family was one short this Christmas – Prince Phillip had to undergo emergency heart surgery after suffering from chest pains on Friday. His surgery was to treat a “blocked coronary artery” and a palace spokesman said, “The Duke is in genuinely good form. He’s in great spirits and had a good night’s sleep last night. The royal family will be continuing with their Christmas traditions as normal today. Sadly the Boxing Day shoot will have to go ahead without Phillip.” Here’s more about the royal Christmas:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Queen Elizabeth at church for two services on Christmas morning – and they drew quite the crowd eager to see them.

With many watching, the couple walked to and from church with much of their family. The Queen, however, took a car to the services – just a short drive from her home at Sandringham, Norfolk. Key in her family’s thoughts and prayers: Prince Philip, who is still in the hospital after undergoing emergency surgery on Friday.

William and Kate were joined on the walk to the 16th century St. Mary Magdalene Church by Prince Charles; William’s cousins Princess Beatrice and Eugenie; and newlyweds Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall. Kate, in an aubergine-colored coat by an unnamed British designer and hat by Jane Corbett, was flanked by husband William, 29, and her brother-in-law Prince Harry, 27.

This is the first time Kate, 29, has spent Christmas with the royal family – a fact that likely boosted the number of people who came out to watch from the sidelines.

The 11 a.m. service, which begun with a rendition of the national anthem, was the second visit to the church for senior members of the family, who privately attended the communion service at 9 a.m.

After nearly 40 minutes, the family emerged again to greet well-wishers. Kate chatted with some children, and Beatrice was seen with armfuls of flowers. The Queen was overwhelmed with bouquets from royals fans.

The royals are set to have a traditional turkey lunch – then watch the Queen’s speech.

And, in the mid-afternoon, members of the family, including Prince William, paid Prince Philip a 45-minute visit at the hospital. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace tells PEOPLE, “The Duke of Edinburgh was visited by some of his grandchildren at Papworth hospital this afternoon: The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.” The spokesman added that Duke is in “good spirits” and “will remain in hospital under observation for a short period.”

The grandchildren’s visit comes a day after the Queen went to his bedside Saturday.

[From People]

Elizabeth and Phillip have been married for FIFTY SIXTY-FOUR YEARS. Can you believe that? Phillip is the only man that the Queen has ever loved. I have a feeling – and I hate to even say this, but here goes – that if Phillip goes first, the Queen won’t outlive him by very long. They’ve just got their routine, and I suspect the Queen will fall apart without him. Their shared history is rather amazing, and they complete each other in some strange way. Sigh… do you think Kate and William will have that kind of partnership in fifty years’ time? I wonder…

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Yay! New Duchess Kate photos! These are pics of Kate on her special date night with both Prince Harry and Prince William. She was the black velvet meat in that sandwich, at least on that red carpet. Now… I’ve written some fan fiction about the possibility that Kate and Harry will end up in a “situation” with each other and that Kate’s future child could be a ginger, but none of the tabloids have picked up on it yet. COME ON. We’ve had fan-fiction and William and Pippa – we need Harry/Waity fan-fiction.

Anyway, the princes and the duchess were at the Sun Military Awards (“A Night of Heroes”), and Kate wore this lovely black velvet Alexander McQueen gown. I love the gown. I love the skirt of the gown in particular – it’s a beautifully cut dress. I like that Kate doesn’t look pregnant (I don’t think she is yet, and I don’t think she will be for months), but she looks… like she’s been eating solids? Her arms look toned and muscular, not bony. That’s nice. The only thing I don’t like? Her hair/weave/whatever. This dress deserved a real red carpet hairstyle, and Kate just did the same old thing.

Also – the jewelry that she’s wearing? Those pieces are apparently “wedding presents.” Who gives a bride jewelry for her wedding? Besides, like, the Queen and the bride’s parents, maybe.

This was one of the last public appearances Kate will make in 2011. She and William are due to make a charity visit later this week and then they’ll head to Sandringham for a royal holiday. And then in January, we’re supposed to hear which charities Kate will be signing on for. If she doesn’t have the goalpost moved again.

Photos courtesy of PR Photos.

Prince Harry had another weekend off while training in America. So what did Harry do with his time? He went to Las Vegas, of course. Oooooh, nine months from now, there is going to be a spike in ginger babies born, I swear. Apparently, the third in line to the throne spent his time in Las Vegas doing some serious partying, gambling and drinking. What did you expect?

Where in the world can Prince Harry go for a wild night of partying and go virtually unnoticed? Las Vegas, apparently.

On his very first visit to Sin City, the prince, 27 (who’s in the States for military training) appeared to be just another reveler at Wynn Las Vegas’s Tryst Nightclub early Saturday morning – at least for an hour or two.

Harry arrived around midnight and quickly took up quarters at a VIP table away from the club’s main dance floor, PEOPLE has learned exclusively. Donning a collared blue flannel shirt and light jeans, Harry went largely unnoticed as he bounced around the indoor-outdoor club, which features a massive outdoor waterfall.

But the night was not without focus. Harry appeared to be honed in on one fellow clubgoer in particular: a blonde woman dressed in a cream blouse and knee-high black skirt. The prince was seen chatting her up on a red couch and he later danced seductively with her, with his hands around her waist and zero daylight visible between their bodies.

The fun-loving prince even jumped on the lap of a member of his security team as his group of nine – four men, three women and two security guards – laughed, and fell to the ground in hysteria. Keeping the humorous tone, Harry even got on his knees as he danced for a brunette girl at his VIP table later in the evening.

Though Harry was tucked away in a corner table, word eventually spread that he was in the club, prompting a slew of women to approach his VIP area. They were all turned away as security told gawkers it was a “private party,” though many were able to see the British royal sipping Grey Goose and tonic cocktails.

The intimate party wound down at 3 a.m. with the group of nine leaving the club out of a side door, with Harry quickly retreating to his room at Wynn Las Vegas.

The Vegas visit comes as Prince Harry, or Captain Wales as he is called in the British Army Air Corps, nears the end of his two-month military training in the Western United States.

Harry has been at Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field in Arizona for intense, live fire training. While his United Stated visit has been largely tame, he has been spotted out in Arizona, as well as in the San Diego area, near where he trained last month.

[From People]

There’s so much gold in here. “He later danced seductively with her, with his hands around her waist and zero daylight visible between their bodies…” I bet he was staring deeply into her eyes too. Harry has moves. Trust. I bet he put his hand in the small of her back, leading her gently, pulling her in closer and closer. “Don’t mind that,” he whispered, staring at her lips. “That’s my royal scepter.”

But… “a slew of women to approach his VIP area… They were all turned away as security told gawkers it was a ‘private party’”… Harry was c–kblocked by his security and handlers! You know he wanted to party with all of the club girls.

Anyway, that was just what went down on Friday night. On Saturday night, Harry and EIGHT dudes (including security) went to see the Cirque Du Soleil show (he was overheard saying that he “loved” the show), and afterwards, Harry drank for free as he gambled. A source tells People Magazine, “He lost $300 gambling [Saturday morning] and his friends lost $200. He couldn’t believe you got free drinks from gambling at the blackjack tables.” After he got good and hammered, he went to XS nightclub and had a quieter time (from assorted accounts) and he was overheard tells people that he was having such a good time, he might stay in Vegas another night. That boy LOVES to party.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

I told you! I knew that as soon as Prince Harry came to America, we would be getting “The Full Ginger”. The Full Ginger = Prince Harry being a ladies’ man, Harry being a fun party dude, Harry having a blast amongst the Americans. Over the weekend, we heard about Harry going out to dinner in Coronado, and now a new story, this time with a pool party, liquor and a young American bird who was dripping wet:

No stranger to creating a splash in a swimming pool in his own right, Prince Harry proved himself a gentleman during a poolside incident in California last weekend – and one young beauty even got his towel show for it.

In the U.S. for his military helicopter training, the royal army captain and his buddies were watching an England rugby match on TV at the rooftop pool of San Diego’s Andaz Hotel, when someone got the bright idea to toss Lindsay Swagerty into the water, fully clothed.

“Prince Harry was the first to notice me when I got out and he wrapped his towel around me to keep me warm,” Swagerty, 23, said after her unexpected plunge, reports Britain’s Sun tabloid. “It was such a gentlemanly thing to do.”

The office worker not only kept Harry’s towel as a souvenir, but the next night she and her friends met up with him and his friends for beer and shots, says the newspaper.

Says Swagerty: “He is probably the most charming man I’ll ever meet.”

[From People]

“Prince Harry was the first to notice me when I got out and he wrapped his towel around me to keep me warm”… um, of course he noticed her! She’s an attractive girl who was dripping wet! And if she’s anything like me, I bet she took off her bra while she was in the pool, just so she (and her boobs) could get the prince’s undivided attention. If you’d like to see photos of the chick, go here. Seriously, though – a pool party, Harry coming over and drying you off with his towel, that’s been wrapped around his ginger body? That’s a new fantasy, right? Sigh…

Unfortunately, The Mail reported a few days ago that before Harry even left for America, he and Chelsy Davy had dinner together and Harry told Chelsy he wanted to get back together. NOOOooooooo….

Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy discussed getting back together during dinner and a quiet night in at her flat – before he went off to California for more helicopter training. Harry will be away for two months, but a reunion could be on the menu for the couple when he returns after Chelsy invited the 27-year-old Prince over to her Belgravia home.

According to one of the couple’s friends, Chelsy, 26, cooked for Harry and they fondly discussed old times while Harry told Chelsy he wanted them to get back together.

‘Harry is desperate to rekindle their romance,’ the chum said. ‘He says Chelsy is one of a kind and although he’s dated other girls, he still loves her. Chelsy invited him over to her flat for a Friday night dinner and he stayed until the early hours. Chelsy still has feelings for him and is thinking about giving it another go.’

Harry is single after enjoying a summer fling with lingerie model Florence ‘Flee’ Brudenell-Bruce, while Chelsy’s brief romance with property developer Taylor McWilliams has also fizzled out.

However, Chelsy has made it clear that she has reservations about trying yet again with a love affair that has been on and off for six years.

Friends say that the Royal Wedding, which Chelsy went to as Harry’s date, was a ‘wake-up call’ for her – and she has told Harry she’s not keen on being a Royal girlfriend.

‘Harry was Chelsy’s first love, but she doesn’t want to be a princess,’ one friend said. ‘She is very much her own woman and wants to make her own career.’

Chelsy and Harry split shortly after the wedding and have barely seen each other this summer.

Chelsy is working five days a week at law firm Allen & Overy, training as a solicitor. Last week she attended the Boodles Boxing Ball with Jamie Richards, the 29-year-old son of Aston Martin boss David Richards.

[From The Mail]

Sigh… Harry is still hung up on Chelsy, for whatever reason. I want to think she’s a nice girl, but I don’t think she is. I think she’s smart, but I think she’s also a fun, good-time girl. The kind of girl who likes to party with the boys and doesn’t want to stop partying to become someone’s wife. Still, I find myself respecting Chelsy for rejecting the idea of a royal life, for not putting her own life on hold, for having her own career, and for playing Harry so brilliantly. She’s got him eating out of her hand. What they really need is a clean break. But that’s not going to happen, not even when (if) Harry gets some American girl pregnant.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Trashy, slutty blondes of America: Your prince has come! Seriously, if you are an American blonde with nice legs, decent boobs, and a willingness and desire to bone a prince, you’re in luck! Prince Harry has arrived on our shores, and he’s looking for a good time. Harry is in California, where he’ll be undergoing Apache helicopter training, which could take as long as two months. In that time-span, you know he’s going to have a few weekends off. Everybody has been saying “Las Vegas” – but Harry surprised everyone by making his first roadtrip, not to Vegas but to San Diego-ish. Coronado, actually.

He had just landed in California, ready to undertake the final stage of his Apache helicopter training. So when Prince Harry decided he fancied a beer and a burger before getting down to business, he and three friends drove to the nearest watering hole… a mere 120 miles away.

The 27-year-old Royal and his colleagues from RAF Wattisham arrived at the Naval Air Facility in El Centro on Thursday.

The next day, the four friends – plus Harry’s Royal protection officers – headed off to the famed McP’s Irish Pub on the island of Coronado, near San Diego.

The Prince relaxed and chatted happily to locals, even taking a photograph for a couple due to marry yesterday. Harry, who had asked to be seated at an outside table, was served by 32-year-old waitress Leah Bentley, from San Diego.

She said: ‘Harry and his friends were really nice. It took me a minute before I realised who he was. I bantered with him and tried to treat him like any other customer. He and his friends were very good-looking and were nice tippers. He didn’t flirt with me – but I wouldn’t have minded if he had.’

The Prince and his friends enjoyed an hour-long meal and when fellow diners recognised him, some asked for a photo.

Harry obliged and also got behind the camera to take a snap of Victor Swircz and his fiancée Laurie on the eve of their wedding. Victor later tweeted: ‘Seriously I’m not joking. I just met Prince Harry and shook his hand @ McP’s in Coronado!!’

McP’s is the only Irish pub on the island of Coronado, which is the home of the US Navy SEALs. The bar is owned by a former SEAL and so was an ideal venue for Harry, who was enjoying time out before he starts his two-month training programme, known as Exercise Crimson Eagle.

His time will be split between El Centro, close to the border of Mexico, and Gila Bend in Arizona – and he will then become a fully qualified Apache pilot.

A spokesman for the Prince said yesterday: ‘Harry has a bit of down-time on the course, which he will spend privately with his course mates.’

[From The Mail]

Harry is going to really enjoy his time in America, don’t you think? He likes to party and have fun, but he’ll buckle down when he has to. He’s already making new friends, and Americans won’t get our knickers in a twist about him – for the most part, I think people will be like, “Oh, Princess Diana’s son. Cool.”

And all of the American girls will be overcome by his lovely accent – he seriously has an incredible voice, and as a slutty American girl, let me just say: he could have it just with his voice alone. Yes, Harry will do very, very well here. And no, I don’t see him having a celebrity hookup. I do see him romancing a series of waitresses and female bartenders and party girls, though.

Photos courtesy of Fame and WENN.

Here are some new photos of Prince Harry in a nice suit, arriving to attend the WellChild Awards in London. Doesn’t Harry look nice? Both Harry and William always wear such nice suits, beautifully tailored. I also think I’m looking at ginger bulge there too, right? Yes, it’s probably just some odd bunching in the crotch of the pants, but let me go on thinking that Harry was having some dirty thoughts in the car and he didn’t get a chance to calm himself down. In America, men are told to “think about baseball” when they get over-excited. What do they tell boys in the UK? “Think about cricket”? I especially like this dirty little look that Harry gave to *someone* – God knows who. Whoever she is, she’s a dirty girl.

So Harry is back in London after taking a single-dude trip to Croatia, where he basically just went to clubs and partied his ass off. Maybe he’s getting over his breakup? I doubt he can even remember the girl. He went to Croatia with a group of friends, flying in on Saturday. He went to a club called Veneranda where he got wasted, started dancing, moved to the edge of the pool, kept on dancing, lost his balance, and then jumped into the pool. He climbed out of the pool and then kept on dancing. There’s video:

Here’s what I love – Harry kept dancing even though he was soaking wet. He stayed there for hours longer, and at some point he borrowed a dry t-shirt. He didn’t pitch a fit and demand to go back to his hotel to change. No, Haz rolls with the punches. I also love that he was mingling with the commoners – he and his friends refused the offer of access to the VIP area. The Mail has more about the trip – plus photos – here. We have some of the photos too:

Photos courtesy of WENN & Fame.

I haven’t done much, if any coverage of Prince Harry’s girlfriend of two months or so, Florence Brudenell-Bruce. You know why? Because I took one look at that chick and thought, “This too shall pass.” Sure, “Flee” (or whatever her nickname was) is pretty and blonde, and she had the right mix of trashy (lingerie pinup modeling shots) and classy (she lives a middle-class life, much like Kate Middleton used to), but it was pretty clear that the media and Harry’s family wanted Flee to happen more than Harry wanted it. To him, Flee was just another blonde, one of many that were interchangeable. Anyway, Harry and Flee broke up. Predictable.

Prince Harry and model Florence Brudenell-Bruce have gone their separate ways as he concentrates on his army career, according to Tuesday’s Daily Mirror.

The paper claims Harry, 26, doesn’t want to commit to any relationship while he’s in the midst of getting “combat ready” in his helicopter training – though he did enjoy spending time with Brudenell-Bruce, 25, this summer.

A source close to the royal family tells PEOPLE, “He is so focused on the army and seems intent of going back to the war zone.”

The prince and the lingerie model, whose nickname is Flee, have not been seen publicly together since they were first said to be dating in late June.

Two weeks ago, Harry visited Majorca with some friends and was on vacation in the U.K. before returning to his Army Air Corps base.

In the final stages of learning to pilot Apache attack helicopters, the prince is headed to Arizona, where he’ll remain until the Christmas holidays in order to train over the rocky, desert terrain.

[From People]

I knew it didn’t look good for Flee when Harry went on that vacation without her. Poor girl – used and tossed aside by the Ginger Prince. Something tells me that Chelsy Davy is getting some drunk phone calls right about now… he’s probably proclaiming his undying love to her as we speak. What is Chelsy’s hold on him? I don’t get it.

But Harry’s coming to Arizona?!? Arizona sluts, get ready. Every girl in Arizona needs to go blonde! One of you (at least) needs to get Harry to forget about Chelsy. And then, nine months after his visit, lots of ginger babies are going to born in Arizona.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

According to in-the-know Daily Mail gossip writer Katie Nicholl (who gets all of the Middleton family scoops), Prince Harry is telling people that he’s single. No surprise there – he and Chelsy Davy are currently “off” and some say that Harry’s family is telling him “You need to find someone who doesn’t look like a liquor-soaked street walker.” But here’s a surprise: Harry is also telling friends and he and Pippa are not happening. Which, just as an I TOLD YOU SO moment, I friggin’ told you so. Harry won’t be slipping Pippa the ginger dong until she bleaches her hair and develops a drinking problem. The boy has a type.

Prince Harry has admitted that he is a single man again but says he has no plans to start dating – and has ruled out getting together with Pippa Middleton. Harry, who has gone through several high-profile splits from girlfriend Chelsy Davy – most recently last month – said he is too busy to go out with anyone at the moment.

The 26-year-old took time out from his duties as an Apache attack helicopter pilot to attend the Hard Rock Calling concert at Hyde Park, London, on Friday night, where he chatted happily with guests backstage. And despite rumours that he has struck up a close rapport with the Duchess of Cambridge’s younger sister since the Royal Wedding in April, Harry said their friendship was strictly platonic.

‘Pippa? Ha! No, I am not seeing anyone at the moment. I’m 100 per cent single,’ Harry told guests at the Live Nation VIP lounge. ‘I’m working a lot at the moment, so dating and watching TV are the last things I have time for.’

Harry also revealed he hopes to enjoy a trip to South Africa this summer. ‘I am hoping to get a holiday in August. I haven’t been to South Africa in a long time, so maybe I’ll go there.’

At the concert, the Prince watched The Killers. He was also seen partying with his cousins, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice – at one point they all joined the cast of TV show Glee at the Absolute Radio studio, alongside the main stage. Afterwards, Harry headed to the VIP Hard Rock Cafe restaurant for burgers, chips and mojitos.

A source says: ‘Harry spent much of the meal deep in conversation with a group of girls, including an American blonde. They were discussing his brother and Kate’s forthcoming trip to the United States – Harry said he thought they will get along famously there because the Americans are receptive and love confident people.’

Later, he and some friends were driven to a party at Beaufont House, Chelsea.

[From The Mail]

So Harry is being Harry, partying, flirting and telling girls that he’s single. How long will this go on? Probably until Chelsy crooks her little finger at him and he goes running back for another round. But eventually – not this year, maybe not next year – Harry will settle down with someone respectable and less of a boozehound. Chelsy won’t last in the long run.

Photos courtesy of WENN & Fame.

Here are some new photos of Pippa Middleton, out and about in London today. I have absolutely no idea if she and Alex Loudon are really and truly done, because right after every media outlet “confirmed” that they were over, somebody close to the Middletons claimed that Pippa and Alex were still on. I suspect that they are broken up, but they’re probably still talking, and they’ll end up friends, perhaps even dating again at some point, if Pippa’s duchess plans fall through. I don’t think Pippa ever burns her bridges – she always keeps exes laying around, hoping that one of them will end up super-famous, rich and titled. By the way, earlier I talked about Catherine refusing free clothes – do you think Pippa adheres to that, especially now that she’s being pap’d on a daily basis? I bet she’s taking all the free stuff that comes her way. Smart girl.

Did you know that people are still trying to make Pippa and Prince Harry happen? It’s not going to happen. Not unless Pippa turns into a trashy blonde. So, even though it’s not *really* going to happen, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the coverage, right? Because this story cracked me up, especially the “Commando” part:

It has been reported that Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton are on the verge of becoming a couple. Grazia UK (via the Daily Mail) is reporting that Harry and Middleton have met a few times since the Royal Wedding in April and already have nicknames for each other.

Middleton reportedly calls Harry ‘Captain,’ which is his rank in the British army and Harry calls her ‘Commando,’ a reference to the rumors that Middleton was not wearing any underwear at the Royal Wedding. Harry also reportedly ended his best man’s speech with the line, “Pippa, call me.”

A royal insider is quoted saying that the couple have been helping each other through their respective breakups.

Pippa recently split from her long time beau, Alex Loudon, and Harry’s relationship with his longtime on-again, off-again girlfriend Chelsea Davy is reportedly strained.

The insider is quoted saying, “They speak on the phone all the time and have met up at least five times since the wedding, once for tea at his Clarence House apartments… She thinks he’s got a really cheeky sense of humor.”

Another source is also quoted saying, “He only recently came out of a relationship, of course. He’s been trying to cheer Pippa up.”

The couple have been more public about their budding relationship; Harry and Middleton turned heads when they were seen recently at a restaurant in London where they spent a couple of hours talking.

Could there be a second Windsor-Middleton Royal Wedding on the horizon?

[From PopEater]

Here’s my prediction: Harry and Chelsy will go another few rounds, breaking up, reuniting, breaking, reuniting. In between all of that, Harry will start to be “introduced” to more suitable young women, many of them young, rich, connected blondes who would find an easier time “joining The Firm”. Harry will flirt, he’ll charm, and he’ll even seduce many of them, but he won’t make any of them his official royal girlfriend. Then, at some point a few years from now, Harry will get broody and he’ll all of a sudden decide that he’s ready to get married. Then it’s on. Then the rules of the game change. Then it’s every trashy, rich, connected blonde for herself.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Oooooooh NOOOO! Prince Harry is probably going back to Afghanistan! Good for him, true, because I get the feeling that Harry desperately wants to serve his country yet again. Harry memorably served several months in Afghanistan in 2007-2008, but was yanked out in March 2008 after British and American tabloids leaked it. Harry had been undercover before then. So… I’m not sure why we’re hearing about this now, but I do know that I admire him a great deal for wanting to go back.

Prince Harry will be granted his wish to return to Afghanistan as an Apache attack helicopter pilot after completing his training next year. The Prince, who was hastily withdrawn from a tour of Helmand in 2008 after his position was compromised by foreign media reports, has often expressed the desire to return to the front line.

Now he is set to be granted another tour when his squadron is deployed to Afghanistan next year, by which time he should have completed his Apache pilot training. Clarence House said the Prince would complete his training next year and would then be available for deployment wherever Apaches were needed – including Afghanistan. It is understood that his squadron is being lined up for a return to Afghanistan next year, most likely in late summer.

Rather than serving as a front line junior officer with the Household Cavalry, as he did on his previous tour, Prince Harry will fly a £40 million AH-64 attack helicopter in operations against insurgents. The Prince gained his wings earlier this year and he has been told by flying instructors he has a “natural flair” for flying. He is currently undergoing an eight-month “conversion to role” course to teach him to use the Apache’s weapons in battle. Training a pilot to fly the state-of-the-art helicopters costs £1 million, and only the top one in every 50 pilots is cleared to fly them.

Apaches are two-man helicopters designed to hunt and destroy tanks using their array of weapons, which include rockets and Hellfire missiles. They are worth £35 million each.

The Queen, Prince Charles and Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry’s on-off girlfriend, are said to be anxious about his redeployment, but he is determined to fulfil his duty as a serving officer. But the Prince has frequently expressed his desire to rejoin his comrades in active service.

In a television interview last year he said he had a “real determination” to return to Afghanistan, adding that his “heart was in the Army”. Earlier this year he reiterated his wish while on a charity mission to the North Pole in aid of wounded servicemen. When asked if he still wanted to return to active service, the Prince said: “I severely hope so, and from the military’s point of view I seriously hope so. You know money’s been spent towards your training – God knows how much money’s been spent on us. So from their point of view if I’m not going then I’m taking up someone else’s space.”

A source close to the Prince added in April: “Nothing has changed since he expressed those views … he is fully aware that he is different to his brother but he would still like to do his duty. He is passionate about his military service and unless he publicly comes out and says otherwise, his ambition will remain to serve in Afghanistan.”

A Clarence House spokesman said: “It has always been the prince’s intention to serve operationally wherever the MoD request of him.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “We do not comment on the deployment of individual service personnel.”

[From The Telegraph]

So if he goes, it will be later this year, and right now it’s looking like he’ll be going with his unit. This is the kind of situation where he could pretty easily pull rank and ask for special treatment as a prince, but I doubt he will. But here’s a question: do you like the idea of Haz flying a $70 million piece of equipment?

Photos of Harry’s 2008 deployment, courtesy of WENN. Additional pics by Fame.