Prince Harry patrols through the deserted town of Garmisir on January 2, 2008 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Pool/Anwar Hussein Collection/WireImage.com

Prince Harry would have liked to serve longer in Afghanistan, but knows reports of his whereabouts compromised his safety.

"I'm looking forward to having a bath but, no, I would like to have stayed back with the guys," he told media gathered at the airport Saturday upon his return to England.

The 23-year-old royal distanced himself from talk that his service makes him a hero. "I wouldn't say I'm a hero," he said, praising the sacrifice of those injured and killed. "The bravery of the guys out there was humbling."

The prince looked at the bright side of his time in the war-torn country. "It was fantastic," he said. "I was hugely grateful for having the opportunity. I enjoyed being out there... actually being out in the middle of nowhere, with the stars out... it was just a fantastic place to be. And sometimes... it's hard to actually bring yourself back to reality and say, 'No, I could actually get shot at at any point' just because the area itself was so nice."

"I would love to go back out," he added.

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