Prince William Decides To Become A Military Man
Welp, it’s official … Prince Wills has decided that he wants a full-time military career and will be continuing his training to become a pilot with the Royal Air Force. Something tells me this decision is less about all that search and rescue stuff he’s gonna be responsible for and more about the cool uniform that he’s gonna get to wear:
Prince William has opted for a full-time military career and is to train to become a pilot in the Royal Air Force’s search and rescue teams, his office announced Monday. “The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realize how much I love flying,” William, 26, said in a statement. “Joining Search and Rescue is a perfect opportunity for me to serve in the Forces operationally, while contributing to a vital part of the country’s Emergency Services.” His training is 18 months long, starting in January 2009 and concluding by summer 2010 when he will embark on a tour of duty typically lasting up to three years. William also expressed a desire to “build on the experience and training I have received” and see action in the armed forces – something his brother Prince Harry, who turned 24 Sept. 15, was able to experience in Afghanistan. The announcement is a departure from what was thought to be the likely plans for the prince. It was believed that he would leave the military at the end of this year and spend more time on royal duties and charitable work … A palace source added, “The prince himself feels that part of the preparation for his future role is to experience something fulltime in an area in which he has gained expertise. This still fits broadly within that.” There will also likely be heightened speculation about whether or not this means he will delay getting married to Kate Middleton, his girlfriend of six years. The couple has recently enjoyed a vacation together in the Caribbean. “We don’t comment on personal relationships,” a spokesman said.
I understand that Prince Charles is said to be “delighted” at this news … Kate Middleton, I’m sure, is less than delighted. I suppose it’s entirely possible that Wills and Kate may still marry — in fact, I see no reason why they can’t get married while he’s serving active duty — but I think it’s asking an awful lot for her to wait while he takes off to do the military thing. Well, I guess it’s not unreasonable for her to wait … I’m not sure one can do much better than waiting for a Prince. **And for the record, I’m not implying that Kate, as a woman, may upset because she’s dying to get married … I’m only saying that she might not be too happy about the man she loves being in the military right now** I, for one, am not all that surprised that Wills has made this decision. After all, his little (hotter) brother has been showing him up on the military front and he prolly feels he needs to get more experience under his belt before he becomes ruler of Great Britain … that, and I think he likes the uniform. I don’t blame him, I like the uni on him too. So … do we think this is a good decision for the young Prince?
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Tags: Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales
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September 15th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Wills is WAY hotter than his little bro!
September 15th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Just remember that when the Queen and Prince Philip got married, he was still an active duty officer in the royal navy and in fact was stationed overseas in Malta. The couple lived there for part of the first five years of their marriage while he commanded a ship. His career officially ended when George VI died and his wife ascended to the throne.
So it is possible for them to lead that sort of life, albeit with the roles reversed until he becomes king.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I don’t know James
There is something about this announcement which worries me for Kate. I am very pro Kate but I worry that this may derail them for good. She can’t be expected to put her life on hold for a further 4 years until he is done & I just some how can’t see a wedding next year or the year after. Can you imagine what the press will do to her during that time. She has already been dragged through the mud with the waity katy articles pictures of her brother articles about her sister….. William needs to make her official or let her go.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Jj,
I think it could still all work out. Once they are announced, royal weddings can actually be put together pretty quickly (6 mos or so). The basic plans for them are always done far in advance, with only the details left to be filled in (just like the funerals). I could easily see them doing a wedding next spring or summer during a concurrent leave from training. Plus, from a long term PR perspective (and let’s face it, that’s half the game where this is concerned), this would be great for him and the Royal family. It would give him a “job” and take pressure off his dad who many would still like to see passed over in favor of William. Plus it would give the impression that he is contributing to the country on a long term basis and not just as an internship for the throne.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I honestly don’t find him attractive at all.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Well James
I am hoping that you are right!! I really like them together and I am pulling for them.You are correct about this mostly being a PR game, after the Chinnock mess (twice stag night and Kate’s back yard) he definitely needs some good PR. My fingers are crossed!
September 15th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Maybe he’s trying to shelter her in some small way from the scrutiny of being a princess? After all his mother wen through, I think he’d be a tad sensitive to that? Who knows, but after all this time…I don’t see her just walking away.
September 15th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Before Prince Philip married Princess Elizabeth in November 1947 he had a last bachelor fling with a lesbian friend of mine and William Baldwin. They went to the Cote d’Azur that fall even though it was virtually empty of people because of the fear that the Communist Insurgency in Greece would spill over into Italy and France.
They proceeded proceeded to hit every gay bar in Canne, Nice and St. Tropez. They would pour Billy into his bed at the Hotel Carlton after each nights revels. Philip was traveling incognito as Philip Battenburg. Then he returned to England and married Princess Elizabeth. Now it seems he is the only Greek Royal employed as an aristocrat.
As told to me by my dear friend and mentor Marilyn Morrison, now deceased.
September 15th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
He is my favorite. I support him forever. I saw him on a millionaire & celebrity dating site (r i c hk i s s . c om) last week. Is he lonely?
September 15th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
No this is not a good idea … does anyone remember Prince Andrew did the same job and Sarah (Fergie) barely saw her husband. He was always away at sea and Sarah was at home pregnant and alone most of the time. Kate needs to be worried, as William seems to be repeating his families bad patterns.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
… and why is Kate waiting around with no career in sight? She appears to have put her life on hold until he pops ‘the question’. That question may never come … They have broken up before. If they are planning to marry she should be enjoying a real job and life – while she can. Once you marry into that family it’s all over (for the wife).
September 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I think this could work out for both William and Kate. Given how healthy his grandmother is it could be 30 years or more before he gets the crown. Doing this with some royal engagements /charity work will keep him occupied and not bored out of his mind. And he could still marry Kate, she just becomes a military wife and follows him to his bases. I don’t think she will suffer like Fergie who I think was a gold digging whore.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
This could work out well. It’s great PR, it gives him something to do on his own, and they could still get married in 2010. Clearly he has a lower profile on duty (no press on military bases). Once they’re married, she can accompany him and still stay fairly low-key while acclimating to being a royal wife. The Queen is reputed to have loved her time in Malta as a Naval Officer’s wife.
One large difference with the Yorks: Prince Andrew was in the Royal Navy and deployed on ships, being gone for extended periods. RAF SARF have six bases around England and it is unlikely he would be deployed to Cypress or the Falklands (the other available postings) so they would be together more than Andrew and Fergie.
Also–Kate has a full-time job–she works for her parents’ very successful catalog business, which is a good choice. She has the degree of flexibility she needs given her relationship with William. If they are, as many suspect, “pre-engaged”, then this also gives her time for studying up on all the things she would need to learn as a royal consort. I think this is likely given the evidence we have seen that “The Firm” seems to have learned some hard lessons from Diana and Fergie.
I’m inclined to think this could be a good thing all around, and that we could well have a royal wedding in 2010. I’m disappointed that it won’t be next year, but c’est la vie.
September 17th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Wills used to be much hotter than Harry, but his looks are fading fast. (Looking more like Charles every day-Blech!) Guess it doesn’t much matter, though, if you’re a prince!