Prince Harry 'whisked to safety by SAS bodyguards' during Taliban attack on US base

Prince Harry was whisked to safety by bodyguards of Britain's Special Air Services (SAS) when the Taliban launched a deadly attack on a US base in Afghanistan.

Rockets and mortar were recently fired, damaging buildings and aircraft at American Camp Leatherneck, the US base neighbouring the British Camp Bastion in Helmand province.

Harry had grabbed a pistol and was ready to fight, but was taken to a fortified safe room on the base during the three-hour suicide bombing mission, the Daily Mirror reports.

"There was no messing about. Harry was taken straight to the safe place as soon as the alarm went off," the report quoted an insider at the huge base in Afghanistan, as saying.

"He was prepared for the fight, but had to follow the plan. If anything happened to him, it would have been disastrous," the insider said.

"The whole camp was locked down. All troops, including Harry, had to stay in their accommodation wearing full body armour and armed," the person added.

According to the report, Harry, 28, was relaxing in the pilots' lounge when the alarm was raised.

Two US Marines were killed as around 15 Taliban fighters wearing US Army uniforms went on the rampage on Tuesday.