Prince Harry struggled to suppress a broad grin yesterday as he became one of 170 soldiers to be awarded campaign medals for their military service in Afghanistan.

The third in line to the throne blushed as his aunt, the Princess Royal, pinned the medal on his chest in recognition of his ten-week deployment to Helmand province this year.Lieutenant Wales, as he is known in the Army, then joined his colleagues in the Household Cavalry Regiment as they marched through the streets of Windsor in their desert fatigues and berets.

His girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, took her place at a formal royal event for the first time, sitting next to Prince William in the VIP front row of the ceremony at Combermere Barracks in Windsor. They were later joined by the Prince of Wales. The medals, whose ribbons are edged in beige to represent the desert Afghan landscape, were presented by the Princess in her capacity as Colonel of the Blues and Royals.

The Prince was the first royal to see active service in a theatre of war since his uncle Prince Andrew flew helicopters during the Falklands war. Harry, 23, served at Garmsir in southern Helmand and Musa Qaleh in February. But a news blackout agreement broke down, prompting his early return to England. when On his arrival home, he spoke of the “humbling” bravery he witnessed, and described the experience as one of the happiest of his life.

Yesterday the soldiers were applauded by modest crowds of wellwishers. There were also some protesters, including Marcus Scott, 40, a former member of the Parachute Regiment, who held a banner declaring “Afghanistan — Little Britain’s Nam”.

At midday, the regiment attended the garrison church for the service of thanksgiving. The ceremony came one week after the death of Trooper Ratu Babakobau, 29, from Fiji, who was serving in Helmand with the Household Cavalry. His death takes the number of British military fatalities in Aghanistan since the start of operations in November 2001 to 95.

The Rev Duncan MacPherson, regimental chaplain, who led the service said: “We feel every death in our regiment. Just because it’s not the same cap badge it doesn’t make it any less painful.”

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