Now Harry's own charity attacks him for race jibe

WellChild, a UK charity dedicated to the needs of sick children and their families of which the prince is patron, said his remarks were "unacceptable".

The 24-year-old prince is facing a full Army investigation after a home video made in March 2006 emerged of him using racist language.

He was heard referring to fellow soldier Ahmed Raza Khan (now a captain in the Pakistani army) as "our little Paki friend Ahmed", and telling another soldier he looked "like a raghead" for wearing camouflage netting.

Wellchild's chairman Richard Nunnely said the seriousness of his remarks could not be ignored.

In recent months, the charity has played a key role in the rehabilitation of Prince Harry's public image.

But Mr Nunnely said he could act depending on the outcome of the Ministry of Defence's adjudication: "I will wait for whatever administrative action will be taken by the adjutant general's office before deciding whether this is a matter for our board. I don't think that language is acceptable. I have the closest thing to a Muslim godson who comes from Pakistan."

Mr Nunnely, a former member of the armed forces, added: "I'm not condoning one iota what he said but there will be no knee-jerk reactions Prince Harry is very highly regarded and is wonderful with the children."

Harry, a second lieutenant in the Blues and Royals, will be summoned to headquarters at Combermere Barracks in Windsor to explain his remarks.

It is not thought that the adjutant general Lieutenant General Bill Rollo will be formally investigating Prince Harry, but as the Army's personnel chief, he could be brought in to advise how the army should handle the matter.

Earlier, Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed the prince as a "role model" and said the furore should not overshadow his military record.

Mr Brown added: "I think Prince Harry knows that these comments aren't acceptable. I think he's made an apology. I think it is a genuine apology. I think the sincereness of his apology cannot be doubted.

"Once he's made his apology I think the British people are good enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But Captain Khan's family called the prince a "coward" for hiding behind an official spokesman.

Capt Khan's uncle Ifitikar Raja told the Evening Standard: "How can the Prime Minister say Harry is sincere in his apology? He cannot be sure until Harry shows his face to the nation and the public can see the sorrow in his eyes.

"It wasn't just banter, it was cruel and offensive. Harry should be a man and show his face and apologise. Until then, I will not be happy because for all we know he could be in a nightclub by midnight drinking champagne."

Mr Raja, 60, from Croydon, added: "He thinks a few words from the palace will put this right He should go in front of the TV cameras and say that he will never use that word again. He is not some low IQ skinhead from the Seventies, he is a member of the royal family."

MP Keith Vaz said Harry was third in line to the throne - not "an understudy for Bernard Manning".

The Army also came under threat of an inquiry today when the Equalities and Human Rights Commission - Britain's leading anti-racism watchdog - warned it would launch its own probe if it was not satisifed with the response of the Ministry of Defence.

A spokeswoman for the commission said: "We will be asking the MoD to see the evidence, share that evidence with us and their plans for dealing with it."

The Commission, headed by Trevor Phill ips, has the power to order its own investigation if it believes there is a culture of institutional racism.