But as the 23-year-old spent his first night on British soil since mid-December, the head of the British army dealt his ambitions an immediate blow, saying he was unlikely to return to the fray soon.

Prince Harry, third in line to the throne and a second lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry, was met by his father, Prince Charles, and elder brother, Prince William, at a British air base on Saturday.

The young prince said he was 'slightly disappointed' about having to come home early after a US website broke an embargo agreed between British media and the Defence Ministry not to publish his whereabouts for security reasons.

In interviews soon after his return, Prince Harry spoke matter-of-factly about his work - calling in air strikes, patrolling and firing at insurgents in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

He also rejected the tag of 'hero' amid fulsome praise for his work from the media and political and military leaders.

'I am no more a hero than anyone else. If you think about it, there are thousands and thousands of troops out there,' he said, according to The Sunday Times.

The bravery he had seen among his fellow troops had been 'humbling'.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE