London, Nov 11 : Prince Harry has given an ultimatum of quitting the army, after military bosses refused to send him to Afghanistan amid fears for his safety.

Harry, a second lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, had been told last month that he could be posted to Afghanistan with C squadron, but he was forbidden from going just weeks before the troops left.

The eleventh-hour intervention was the second major blow for the Prince who was stopped from going to Iraq with the Blues and Royals in May over worries that he could be on the terrorists’ hit list.

In an interview following his training at Sandhurst, the young royal had made it clear that he wanted to fight with his men on the forefront.

But now he is on regimental duties at Combermere Barracks in Windsor and is said to be so annoyed that he has threatened to leave unless military bosses grant him an appropriate post.

"Harry has said he is at rock bottom. He is upset, angry and frustrated and feels completely redundant. He is basically doing nothing,” the Daily Mail quoted a close friend, as saying.

"It's been very disheartening for him to be kept at home twice while his men have been sent away to soldier. He has said he is a troop leader without a troop.

"Now A, B and C squadrons have all been sent abroad and Harry has been left at home with nothing to do. Frequently he has been the only Household Cavalry lieutenant in camp over the past six months.

"He is determined not to be a quitter, but he has spoken to his father about his feelings and has said he is not prepared to be a redundant soldier for another year.

"The MoD are going to have to figure something out. If they don't, Harry has said he will think about pursuing his charity work and go back to Africa. He is desperate to do something that will give him a sense of purpose,” the friend added.

Military insiders said that the D squadron of the Household Cavalry is training to go to Afghanistan early next year, possibly in March.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night: "We never discuss Harry's location or future employment."

A Clarence House spokesman said: "We do not discuss Prince Harry's military commitments. He remains committed to his Army career."

Meanwhile, Harry has split from his long-time girlfriend Chelsy Davy, after the latter dumped him because she 'needs space' to establish her own identity.

According to friends, Chelsy is having a "trial separation" from the Prince while she studies at Leeds University and he pursues his Army career.

Sources say that the 22-year-old Zimbabwean made a series of tearful telephone calls to the Prince last week, and later confided to a close friend that Harry had agreed to the "trial separation". (ANI)