Prince Harry's soldier reunion

Apr 22, 2008, 12:00 GMT

Britain\'s Prince Harry (C-L) at Kandahar air terminal as he prepares to leave Afghanistan, following his tour of duty in Helmand Province, 01 March 2008. Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, returned home from Afghanistan on Saturday after news leaked out on the Internet that he had been secretly fighting the Taliban for 10 weeks. EPA/Cpl RICH DENTON

Britain's Prince Harry has been reunited with one of the injured soldiers who accompanied him on his flight back from Afghanistan.

Harry visited Royal Marine Ben McBean - who lost his right leg and was close to death when the pair returned from the war-torn country last month - during a visit to Surrey's Headley Court Rehabilitation Centre yesterday (21.04.08).

Harry - who hailed Ben as the "real hero" after arriving back in the UK - told him: "I can't believe you're standing up, it's fantastic!"

Following the visit, 21-year-old Ben revealed: "Harry came rushing up to me as soon as I walked in.

"He said, 'Hi, I'm the guy who was on the plane with you. I was staring at you for half an hour. I'm Harry - it's a real honour to finally meet you properly.'"

Harry, a lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, was accompanied by his brother Prince William for the visit.

The pair made the trip to raise public awareness of the City Salute, a pageant in London on May 7 organised to gather money for Help For Heroes, a charity which looks after wounded troops.

On March 1, Harry returned after ten weeks active service in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

Referring to Ben and another injured soldier, he told reporters: "I'm not a hero, these two injured soldiers are the heroes.

"These were guys who had been blown up by a mine that they had no idea about - serving their country, doing a normal patrol."

(C) BANG Media International