PRINCE Harry’s stint on the frontline in Afghanistan was a “PR stunt” that has not fooled the British public, said publicist Max Clifford.

The Household Cavalry officer’s 10-week deployment in Helmand Province was “virtual reality” because senior commanders would have guarded him from real danger, he claims.

The pictures of Harry leading troops in the desert will not transform his party-loving image because most people see he has been given special treatment over thousands of other soldiers, Clifford said.

“To me it’s blatantly obvious. It’s a PR stunt, the whole thing has been put together. When Harry went out he was getting increasing bad publicity from hanging around in clubs and pubs, and coming out drunk. It happened immediately after that. I don’t think you’re cynical for saying, ’hold on a minute’”.

Harry’s 10-week tour has drawn almost universal praise, ranging from Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the hundreds of fellow soldiers who have posted messages on the unofficial British Army Rumour Service website.

However Clifford insisted that the public would be questioning whether they had seen the real story. “I think that most discerning people see it as a pure public relations exercise. There are, I think, a lot more people out there than the media seem to realise that are saying, ’hold on a minute, this is virtual reality’.

“A lot of people have been saying, if he was Private Harry Smith, would he have been looked after in the same way?”

Clifford conceded Harry was a “brave lad” for going to Afghanistan, but added that he may be in more danger now he has returned home.

“I don’t think that they would have dared to put him in real danger there but now he’s been shown firing a machine gun at Muslims ...he becomes a big target. Harry likes to go to clubs and pubs — does that make them targets?”

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