MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK downplays alleged threats.

Buckingham Palace on Friday termed “irresponsible” newspaper reports that a kidnap threat forced Britain's Prince Harry to cut short a trip to a polo pony farm in Argentina.

Harry, third in line to the throne, arrived back in Britain early yesterday and made no comment to waiting reporters. A spokesman for Harry, son of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, played down front page reports in most British newspapers that armed police foiled a plot to kidnap the young prince.

"I have seen the headlines. It is just hugely irresponsible," the royal spokesman said, declining to categorically deny the stories. "We never comment on security matters," he added.

The Times trailed the story on its front page with the banner headline: "Kidnap threat forces Prince Harry home."

Citing the Argentine newspaper Página/12, the Times said a murder suspect in the local underworld tipped off the Argentine government about a plot to kidnap the prince. The Times report said 15 armed officers were sent to patrol the ranch, in Lobos, 100 km southwest of Buenos Aires.

It said police fired shots into the air on Wednesday night after detectives suspected kidnappers were near the ranch.

Local police told Reuters on Thursday that shots were heard near the horse ranch, but said this was nothing unusual. Argentine police sources said that Harry was never in danger.

The mayor of Lobos, Gustavo Sobrero, attributed the shots to hare hunters in comments to radio Mitre on Thursday.

The British Embassy in Buenos Aires would not comment. The 20-year-old prince arrived at the ranch less than a month ago after scuffling with a photographer outside a central London nightclub.

As Harry departed, Argentina's state-run news agency Télam said that a convict had on Monday revealed plans to kill him. According to Argentine court sources, the inmate said the plan was part of a plot against Buenos Aires province Security Minister León Arslanián, who has been purging police since he took office in April.

Harry earned the reputation as a royal "wild child" after revelations that he smoked marijuana and drank when under age.

Clarence House, the office of Prince Charles, said that Harry was always scheduled to return to Britain yesterday. Clarence House said that Harry stayed at the British High Commission in Buenos Aires on Thursday night.

He arrived at Heathrow airport aboard a scheduled British Airways flight from Buenos Aires. On arrival, the plane taxied to a remote stand away from the main terminal, and Harry was driven from the plane to an airport VIP lounge.

Looking relaxed in a pale blue open-necked shirt and blue denim jeans, he left the lounge and departed the airport by car.

??I can confirm that Harry did not return early,'' the Clarence House spokesman said on customary condition of anonymity. ??He is returning on the date that was booked when he left.''

The prince's knee was injured several months ago while training with the army ahead of his entry test for the Sandhurst military academy, where he begins studies in January. Harry had originally planned to spend four to six weeks in Argentina but the trip was shortened because he had been advised that he couldn't ride with his injury, the spokesman said.

Harry had arrived in Argentina on November 12 and British media suggested that the trip was intended to keep him far from the paparazzi who haunt him at home. At that time Buckingham Palace said that he would return to England for Christmas with his family.

Harry will spend time privately in the run-up to Christmas before starting at Sandhurst, along with 270 other cadets, on January 9.(BAH)