Britain's Prince Harry, who is scheduled to start his army officer training next month, has been told to brush up on his computer skills after reportedly failing a test at the elite Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Col. Roy Parkinson, protocol officer at Sandhurst, said Friday that Harry underwent a series of tests, physical and academic, to measure his strengths and weaknesses ahead of his arrival on May 8.

Harry "had no problem with the physical tests," Parkinson told the UK's Press Association.

However, he offered no direct comment on the prince's computer skills.

Earlier, The Daily Mirror newspaper reported that Harry, 20, had failed his computer assessment.

"Although the computer test was a lot more complex than just sending emails, instructors were amazed that Harry failed it," the Mirror quoted a military source as saying.

"He seemed to lack the same skills as the other recruits ."

Asked to respond to the report, Parkinson said: "Every officer cadet coming to Sandhurst has a pre-course briefing, involving several tests.

"This took place for Harry in November because he was due to start in January," he said.

"One of the tests is a computer diagnostic test to detect what they have to brush up on before coming to Sandhurst," he said. "Harry has not failed anything. It's not a case of pass or fail, it's just a diagnostic test."

The report on Harry's computer skills is just the latest incident in which the third in line to the British throne has found himself in the media spotlight.

Earlier this year, Harry was pictured on the front page of The Sun newspaper wearing a swastika on his sleeve at the party. He was also holding a drink and smoking a cigarette.

Last year, Harry scuffled with a paparazzi photographer outside a London nightclub.

The photographer, who suffered a cut lip, claimed claimed that Harry struck him without provocation. The incident was captured in newspaper pictures.

Three years ago, his father Prince Charles sent the then Eton student to a rehabilitation clinic to warn him of the dangers of drugs after discovering he had smoked marijuana and drank alcohol.

(CNN)

brush up on : （溫習）

recruit: a recently enlisted soldier（新兵）