People: Prince Harry begins last military mission

Prince Harry arrived in Australia today to begin four weeks of training with the Australian army in the final mission of the British royal’s decade-long military career.

The fourth in line to the British throne, who will soon shift to fifth place with the birth of his brother Prince William’s second child, arrived at Sydney International Airport dressed in army fatigues on a Qantas flight from London, television footage showed.

The only scheduled public appearance of his Australian deployment took place today in the national capital Canberra, where he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Capt. Harry Wales, as he is known in the British army, will be embedded with a number of Australian army units and regiments in the cities of Sydney, Darwin and Perth.

The prince leaves the British army in June.

Franken points Letterman to politics

U.S. Sen. Al Franken urged David Letterman to run for the U.S. Senate in the TV host’s native state of Indiana.

Appearing on “The Late Show” on Wednesday for the first time since he went to Washington in 2009, Franken denounced Indiana’s newly passed religious objections law that critics say sanctions discrimination against lesbians and gays. He suggested that his longtime friend could fill the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Dan Coats.

The audience applauded and Letterman shook his head.

The Minnesota senator and Letterman are old friends stretching back to Franken’s days as a writer and performer on “Saturday Night Live.” Franken was a regular guest on Letterman’s show in the ’80s and ’90s but last appeared with him in 2008.

The birthday bunch

Composer-conductor Andre Previn is 86. Country singer Merle Haggard is 78. Actor Billy Dee Williams is 78. Actor John Ratzenberger is 68. Actress Marilu Henner is 63. Actor Paul Rudd is 46. Actor Zach Braff is 40. Actress Candace Cameron Bure is 39.