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Prince Harry has vowed to quit smoking in the New Year ahead of a sweeping army ban.

The 22-year-old prince first took up cigarettes at the age of 14 while he was still a pupil at Eton, often cadging them from older boys at the exclusive public school.

He has carried on smoking up to twenty Marlboro Lights a day ever since, even through his gruelling year-long army training course at Sandhurst.

Sources at the college said Harry could often be seen hanging around the back of his barracks lighting up and was even known to start puffing immediately after an exercise.

Cadets at the Royal Military Academy are not allowed to smoke inside the college but are permitted to do so in their free time.

Although it seems at odds with the demanding physical nature of his job, officer Harry has always insisted that his habit doesn't interfere with his health or fitness.

But according to reports, the third-in-line-to-the-throne has finally made a New Year's resolution to give up for good.

His decision comes as the Ministry of Defence prepares to ban smoking at all army barracks from March this year and army sources have suggested that Harry wants to cut down gradually before the new regulations come in.

His decision is likely to delight his father, Prince Charles, who loathes his son's nicotine habit. His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, was herself a heavy smoker but is also believed to given up in recent years.

Unfortunately for Harry, however, his girlfriend Chelsy Davy is a social smoker, which is unlikely to make kicking the habit any easier for him.

"Harry tries not to be seen smoking in public but behind closed door and at parties he's always lighting up," said a royal source.

"His father nags him constantly about it but Harry has never shown an inclination to listen to him until now."

Harry is currently enjoying a nine-day holiday in Mozambique with girlfriend Chelsy and her family courtesy of her controversial multi-millionaire father, Charles.

The couple heralded in the New Year by partying until dawn on the beach at Bazaruto island after enjoying a lavish seafood banquet and watching a spectacular fireworks display.

Harry returns to England on Friday to re-join his Blues and Royal regiment when he will be formally told whether he will be sent to Iraq in the spring.