London, March 2 : Prince Charles has expressed his “great relief” at the safe return of his son, Harry, after 10 weeks on a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Describing Prince Harry’s return from Afghanistan’s Helmand province as an “immense blessing,” the Prince of Wales admitted that it was now that her realised what the parents of other servicemen and women felt while their children were on active duty.

“Along with many parents who have experienced the same sense of anxiety about their sons or daughters serving on opera-tional deployments overseas, I feel a great sense of relief and pride on the day my son, Harry, returns home ? albeit somewhat earlier than expected,” Times Online quoted Charles, as saying.

“That he is safe and sound is indeed an immense blessing,” he added.

On his return, Prince Harry was greeted by his brother, Prince William, and father Prince Charles, who said how relieved he was Prince Harry had returned.

"I'm enormously proud of what he's done," he said.

"But I do so understand, now, what it's like for so many other families and the loved ones of those who are serving abroad on operations, what they have to endure,” he added.

Meanwhile, General Sir Richard Dannatt, chief of the Army's general staff has ruled out the idea of Harry’s return to Afghanistan for the next 18 months.

He said that there was no "immediate prospect" of the prince going "anywhere else" after returning from war-torn province of Helmand on March 1. (ANI)