Prince Harry may have been the primary target of an attack on the Camp Bastion military compound in Afghanistan, it has been claimed.

A Taliban commander has reportedly said that Harry was the main focus of the attack, but hours before the group claimed it was in revenge for an anti-Islamic film.

The prince was unharmed, but two US Marines were killed and several more wounded in the attack on Friday night.

US officials said the attack was by heavily-armed insurgents and involved a range of weaponry, including mortars, rockets or rocket-propelled grenades, as well as small arms fire.

Harry was about two kilometres away with other crew members of the Apache attack helicopters, of which he is a co-pilot gunner, when the attack took place, sources said.

A Ministry of Defence source said: "After saying this attack was mounted in reaction to the video on Islam, it is entirely predictable that the Taliban have changed their tune to say it was aimed at Captain Wales.

"The insurgency who mounted this attack - most of who were killed by Isaf - were nowhere near Captain Wales, who with other UK and Isaf personnel was under lockdown."

A British soldier from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was killed by a roadside bomb in an unrelated incident. Next of kin have been informed.