Australian Magazine Apologizes For Breaking Embargo On Prince Harry’s Afghan Deployment

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — An Australian magazine has apologized for publishing a story revealing that Prince Harry was fighting with British troops in Afghanistan.

New Idea magazine said that when it ran the story in January it was unaware of an agreement between the British Ministry of Defense and major news organizations not to disclose Harry’s deployment, in order to protect the 23-year-old prince and his fellow soldiers.

Other media picked up the story in late February, causing the deployment to be aborted because Harry is considered a high-profile target for militants.

In its latest edition issued Monday, New Idea has apologized to its readers and to troops who may have been endangered by the “serious lapse of judgment” that caused the story to be published.

“We do acknowledge that our actions in publishing the story can be reasonably viewed as insensitive and irresponsible,” the magazine says.