Apparently it was one of Australia's trashy Magazines 'New Idea' that also broke the story
This indeed does appear to be the case:
7 January 2008:
"NEW IDEA: Prince Harry Goes to War in Afghanistan
Prince Harry has joined his regiment on a covert mission to Afghanistan and his unit has already seen front line action.
Not seen in public since the middle of December, New Idea can exclusively reveal that despite opposition from senior members of the British government and the royal family itself, Harry now joins his uncle Prince Andrew as a royal who has been to war.
'At first there was a lot of resistance' said a friend 'but Harry threatened to resign his commission and serve as a private if he was kept from the battlefield - and that proved to be the final straw'.
Full details on this breaking story in this week's New Idea"
15 January 2008:
"NEW IDEA: Prince Harry: War Lord
Maverick Prince Harry has joined his regiment on a covert mission to Afghanistan and his unit has already seen front line action.
New Idea can exclusively reveal that despite opposition from senior members of the British government and the royal family itself, Harry flew out with his regiment and joined the troops on the front line. He spent Christmas with his men at the sharp end of the action.
'Harry found members of his unit were to be posted in Afghanistan for a four-month tour of duty over Christmas and the New Year,' a close friend tells New Idea.
'He had already begrudgingly accepted the decision to keep him off the front line in Iraq, but when he heard about the mission in Afghanistan he was insistent he would not stay at home eating Christmas dinner and living it up at the palace while his men were on the front line.
'At first there was a lot of resistance, but Harry even threatened to resign his commission and serve as a private if he was kept from the battlefield - and that proved to be the final straw,' the friend says.
'He wants to be a real soldier who gets the same treatment as any other officer of his rank - and that means going to war just like everybody else.'
Prince Charles was said to be against the idea of Harry seeing active service, but sources say that with the support of his elder brother William, and uncle Prince Andrew, who flew helicopters during the Falklands war, Harry convinced Charles not to take action to prevent him from going.
The Queen is said to have sent Harry a card with her best wishes and a gift with sentimental value that he has kept private.
Before he left, Harry invited William and some of his close friends to a secret 'godspeed' party at Boujis nightclub in London.
Guests were under strict instruction that there was to be no mention of the real reason for the party and no toasts or public discussion of Harry's imminent departure.
The British government is said to strongly oppose Harry's deployment to Afghanistan. Their official reason is that his presence may put his fellow soldiers at risk, but defence commentators have been quick to suggest it may be more to do with their fear that Harry could be killed or injured fighting George Bush's 'war on terror'. This would doom Gordon Brown's Labour government in the next election.
But Harry has always been insistent that he wanted to see active duty and he hated the idea of being wrapped in cotton wool while his men put their lives on the line.
He famously said: 'There's no way I'm going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit on my a*** back home while my boys are out fighting for their country.'
For more Royal Watch, check out the latest issue of New Idea - on sale now!"
