PRINCE Harry's role in Afghanistan must be set in the context of all the men and women risking their lives doing their jobs and fighting for the freedom of that troubled country.

But that said, it does improve the perception of this particular royal who has had an image of a rather louche and feckless party-goer enjoying the trappings of his status without the responsibility.

There is no taking away from him the fact he has been facing the same risks and pressures as his men and his determination to serve at the front line is to be commended.

Some may balk at the fact that there has been a media blackout of the Prince's involvement in Afghanistan.

It involved all Britain's media, including this newspaper.

But the industry was happy to sign up to such an agreement because without it the Prince, who has spent years training as a soldier, would never have been able to put that training into practice.

Attempts to deploy Prince Harry to Iraq were scuppered by intense media speculation which led to the inevitable death threats from insurgents and an impossible security risk to the rest of his regiment.

This time round the media agreed to participate in a news blackout to ensure the 23-year-old could serve his country.

Unfortunately the overkill of national media coverage since the information was leaked out by an American website creates the impression of this being a Palace-organised PR stunt to improve his image.

We guess for the young prince it could not be farther from the truth. He merely wanted to the job he had been trained for.

TV media and the national press had given access to the Prince on just two occasions. Their coverage today is all drawn from that tiny window in the 10 weeks since he arrived in Afghanistan and it must be seen in that context.