Harry jokes about ex Chelsy during Estonia tour

Harry had not seen Estonian Captain Tanel Tarlap for more than six years but they quickly shared a laugh about how the royal would make a beeline for the officer's laptop and contact home.

They chatted in a muddy field in the Estonian countryside where Harry was meeting troops from the Baltic state, Britain and America taking part in a major military exercise.

As Harry approached Captain Tarlap he said: "I remember him, that's a familiar face"

The prince, who was joined by Major General Riho Terras, the head of Estonia's Armed Forces, said to his pal: "I was trying to explain the reason why we became friends, because you had the internet, the computer, do you remember?"

The Estonian officer smiled and said: "So you could email your girlfriend."

The two men had shared a room with a number of other officers during the prince's first tour of Afghanistan during 2007-08, when he worked as a forward air controller co-ordinating air strikes on Taliban positions.

Captain Tarlap, 34, then a lieutenant, was a liaison officer between the British forces and an Estonian company of around 150 men under UK command.

They only worked together for a few weeks but quickly struck up a friendship and exchanged battalion emblems as a sign of their closeness.

Harry was pictured proudly wearing the Estonian Guard Battalion's Eagle on his body armour during his 10-week deployment.

Joking about the military emblem that Captain Tarlap had given him, Harry said to his friend: "I've got no Velcro on me, so you can't stick anything to me."

The Estonian officer said later: "I was the only guy in the camp who had a computer with internet access so he had the chance to chat to his girlfriend or family.

"I think everyone was trying to get a connection with people at home.

"We were sharing a room and he would just knock on my shoulder and asked if he could use my computer."

At the time Harry was dating girlfriend Chelsy Davy. The pair split up and were reunited a number of times before the relationship finally ended a few years ago.

Speaking about his days working with Harry at Forward Operating Base Edinburgh in Helmand province, Captain Tarlap added: "When the Estonian company wanted to do some patrolling in the area we ordered some air support and I would ask Harry if this was possible and he always tried to do it.

"It was always planned but sometimes it was a last-minute call."

He added: "He was usually in a good mood and happy - he was always positive.

"He would make jokes and just talk about simple things usually. He was very friendly and always happy and excited to get new tasks from his commander.

"You know what he is but when you speak to each other you use first names like everyone else."