Prince Charles proud of son Harry, relieved at safe return (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) - Prince Charles said Saturday he was relieved to see the safe return from Afghanistan of his youngest son Prince Harry and described the difficulties in keeping his mission secret for the last 10 weeks.

"Its an incredible relief to see him back in one piece," the heir to the throne said in a television interview recorded before and broadcast after the 23-year-old arrived back on British soil on a military flight.

Harry, a second lieutenant in the Blues and Royal regiment of the Household Cavalry, had been in Afghanistan since mid-December but his deployment had been kept under wraps in a deal struck between the government and British media.

He was pulled out for security reasons Friday after news leaked out on a US website.

Charles, wearing a leek in his left lapel to mark Saint Davids Day, the patron saint of Wales, said it had been "enormously difficult" to keep quiet about his sons deployment.

"People kept saying to me, it must be so frustrating for Harry not being able to serve abroad and so on," the Prince of Wales explained. "Id say, yes, yes. Theyd say, where is he? I would say hes on exercise somewhere.

"So, it is obviously marvellous to see him back and Im enormously proud of what hes done.

"But I do so understand what its like for so many other families and loved ones of those serving on operations, what they have to endure.

"Having met so many of the families when I go to visit some of my regiments, I know what its like when theyre so far away and dont know whats going on. Its much worse in a way for those left behind."

Charles also paid tribute to British forces, whose risky work he said the public did not often appreciate, highlighting that Harrys plane was delayed as it stopped en-route for three injured soldiers to receive medical treatment.

"While being incredibly proud of Harry I am equally proud, for what its worth, of all the dedicated service given by all our armed forces," the prince added.