Prince Harry 'an embarrassment'

Prince Harry is on Army leave ahead of a six-month tour of duty in Iraq

Prince Harry is "dangerously becoming an embarrassment to this country", a veteran royal photographer has said.

Arthur Edwards, who works for the Sun newspaper, called Harry "a fabulous young man", but said he should be "behaving a lot better".

Mr Edwards criticised him for allegedly lunging at a member of the paparazzi as he left a London nightclub last week.

Prince Harry, 22, will be sent to Iraq with his army regiment, the Blues and Royals, later this year.

Mr Edwards spoke to BBC News 24's current affairs programme Hard Talk after giving evidence to the House of Commons Culture Select Committee on press intrusion.

He said that Harry was "a commissioned officer in the British army in a really top regiment", but if he had hit the photographer he could have been charged with assault.

"This young man is no longer a boy, he's not 18, he's 22," he said.

"He knows that if he goes to these nightclubs, paparazzi hang around. It's par for the course. Princess Diana knew that."

'More dignity'

Mr Edwards has worked as the Sun's royal photographer since 1977.

He said one of the things he had always admired about the Royal Family was their "dignity", even in "the darkest times".

"They look straight in your face. They might not be happy. They might be feeling really miserable inside," he said.

"I think that's what we've got to get back into Prince Harry."

Clarence House declined to comment.

The interview will be shown on BBC NEWS 24's Hard Talk at 2330 GMT on Thursday 5 April.