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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain's Prince Harry will be sent to Iraq to command a tank unit, the Defense Ministry confirmed Thursday.
Harry -- third in line to the throne -- is expected to be deployed with his Royals and Blues regiment near the southern city of Basra.
The prince will become the first royal to serve in a war zone since his uncle, the Duke of York, piloted helicopters in the Falklands conflict 25 years ago.
British officials have indicated that Harry, 22, could be kept out of situations that could jeopardize his colleagues amid fears he would be a prize target -- or "bullet magnet" -- for insurgents.
But Harry, who graduated last year from Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, has insisted he does not want special treatment.
Clarence House, which speaks on behalf of the prince, and the Ministry of Defense said that the prince would carry out a "normal troop commander's role."
In a joint statement, they said: "We can confirm today that Prince Harry will deploy to Iraq later this year in command of a troop from 'A Squadron' of the Household Cavalry Regiment.
"Whilst in Iraq Cornet Wales (Harry's regimental title) will carry out a normal troop commander's role, involving leading a troop of 12 men in four Scimitar armored reconnaissance vehicles, each with a crew of three.
"The decision to deploy him has been a military one... The royal household has been consulted throughout."