Leo Docherty: "Rather than highlighting the appalling truths about the war in Helmand, the media, dazzled by the heroic ideal that Prince Harry so perfectly embodies, perpetuate the myth that this is a just war fit for heroes. The frenzy of coverage in Fr

Peter Preston: "There’s no point in criticising anyone involved in this deluded little charade, because everyone acted from perfectly comprehensible motives. …"

Bob Steele: "That term “informal embargo” has a stench about it. It reeks of a backroom deal where an important ethical principle – independence – ends up in the spittoon."

Bob Satchwell: "In fact media blackouts are not that unusual. We do not report kidnaps, at the request of the police, if a hostage’s life might be a risk. We often know about the movements of politicians or royalty so that coverage can be planned but do n

Jon Snow: "One wonders whether viewers, readers and listeners will ever want to trust media bosses again. Or perhaps this was a courageous editorial decision to protect this fine young man?"

PR guru Max Clifford’s come out unexpectedly fiercely in criticising what he regards as an ill-thought out publicity stunt. "It just comes across, the whole thing, as a very, very calculated public relations exercise," he claims

At the foot of The Sun’s report: "Set your desktop with Prince Harry wallpaper"

Jon Williams: "We don’t do this stuff lightly – there are no other "voluntary agreements" in place at the moment, there’s nothing else we’re not telling you.""

Tim Marshall: "There will be people wishing to use this incident to prove that the British media is supine in the face of Government pressure. That is a nonsense. The next time the Government screws up we will again give them a kicking."

Simon Bucks: "Where Drudge got the [Harry in Afghanistan] story from is a mystery – some suspect an element of the British media which wanted to break the story for its own ends."