Prince William Current Events 20: May-January 2010

[Skydragon]

When Andrew served in the Falklands, he was the 2nd in line as William was not born until the following month. AIR, HM insisted Andrew be allowed to stay with his ship during the conflict.

 

[Iluvbertie]

But they weren't heirs to the throne at the time. I don't think the govt. (or the Queen) would allow William to go to war for obvious reasons. But there's nothing wrong with doing Search and Rescue. I think it's very honorable to do a job saving people's lives.

However at the time that they were serving they were 2nd in line to the throne, as William is now.

There are also plenty of other heirs - he has a brother and six cousins as well so it isn't as if if something happened to him the monarchy would have nowhere to go like it did when Princess Charlotte died.

In addition one of the two mentioned above, 2nd in line when serving, went on to become king so they obviously weren't too worried about losing him. His older brother was also serving on the Western Front at the time (although not in the trenches) so the actual heir to the throne was seeing active service. Why shouldn't William?

People seem to want to put him in cotton wool because he is the heir's heir rather than let him have a life and take the risk - so what if he dies - there is still other heirs (not that I want to see him die but more that I see people being overprotective.

 

[Marsel]

The very concept of war has changed over the years. In past, even during Andrew’s time, it was a more or less ‘honest’ fight: your personal courage and probably the equipment were what mattered most. It is different now: do you remember the headlines when one of the Taliban leaders threatened to target specifically Prince Harry, should he be sent to the frontline? I’d imagine the price for William’s head would be even higher.

I don’t think parents of any soldier serving in Iraq or Afghanistan would be happy if William and/or Harry served in the same regiment: their very presence would expose other soldiers to unnecessary additional risks.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The very concept of war has changed over the years. In past, even during Andrew’s time, it was a more or less ‘honest’ fight: your personal courage and probably the equipment were what mattered most. It is different now: do you remember the headlines when one of the Taliban leaders threatened to target specifically Prince Harry, should he be sent to the frontline? I’d imagine the price for William’s head would be even higher.

I don’t think parents of any soldier serving in Iraq or Afghanistan would be happy if William and/or Harry served in the same regiment: their very presence would expose other soldiers to unnecessary additional risks.

I don't think that they are unnecessary risks if the press simply aren't told that they are there.

 

[Marsel]

And how long will it take some bright lad to understand he can earn $$$ if he sells the story to any news agency?
I was impressed all the newspapers did manage to keep their word even for such a short time during Harry’s deployment. But I suspect William’s deployment would be even more tempting. And even if they do keep their word, there could always be the risk of terrorists accidentally finding out, or buying such information.

 

[Iluvbertie]

And how long will it take some bright lad to understand he can earn $$$ if he sells the story to any news agency?
I was impressed all the newspapers did manage to keep their word even for such a short time during Harry’s deployment. But I suspect William’s deployment would be even more tempting. And even if they do keep their word, there could always be the risk of terrorists accidentally finding out, or buying such information.

Terrorists can attack anywhere - they are just as likely to attack them in London. In fact they are probably an easier target in London - at the various nightclubs they frequent - than they would be in Afghanistan.

 

[Marsel]

I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.

While I believe Prince William has a lot of growing up to do and he’ll need to prove himself just as his father and grandmother did, I don’t hold this particular matter (his non-deployment) against him: William and Harry would probably prefer to see active service to going to nightclubs.
In any case, personally I think they’d better stay in London, than risk not just their lives (all soldiers do that) but their fellow soldiers’ lives on the front line.

 

[ghost_night554]

Seems we all have very different opinions when it comes to William which is normal for people on a forum. But now I'm going to change it up a bit. Here's some current news about him and his future with the RAF.

Sunday Express | UK News :: Cuts bring Wills back to earth

 

[Opal]

Well, this is interesting... if it's true.

 

[Skydragon]

And how long will it take some bright lad to understand he can earn $$$ if he sells the story to any news agency?

It wasn't 'some bright lad' who broke the news about Harry, it was a silly biddy on an Australian mag and an American, who had lost what little brain he was born with, IMO. British troops tend to be loyal and do not deliberately increase the danger for themselves or any of their comrades!

Seems we all have very different opinions when it comes to William which is normal for people on a forum. But now I'm going to change it up a bit. Here's some current news about him and his future with the RAF.

Sunday Express | UK News :: Cuts bring Wills back to earth

Not entirely accurate or true!

 

[Marsel]

It wasn't 'some bright lad' who broke the news about Harry, it was a silly biddy on an Australian mag and an American, who had lost what little brain he was born with, IMO. British troops tend to be loyal and do not deliberately increase the danger for themselves or any of their comrades!

I never questioned the loyalty of British troops, not will I ever do so: hundreds of articles I've read only speak of their dedication, heroism and courage.
By 'bright lad' I meant someone who'd be aware of the deployment - a secretary to an MP, a friend of a friend, anyone: things like that do have the tendency of leaking out eventually.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what William does if he can't go through with his plans. It would be a real shame for his training to have been a waste.

Seems we all have very different opinions when it comes to William which is normal for people on a forum. But now I'm going to change it up a bit. Here's some current news about him and his future with the RAF.

Sunday Express | UK News :: Cuts bring Wills back to earth

 

[Ella Kay]

I agree, Mermaid. I'd be happy to see him start working as a full-time royal sooner, but it would be terrible if he'd trained -- and the country had spent money -- for nothing in the end.

 

[Wisteria]

I agree, Mermaid. I'd be happy to see him start working as a full-time royal sooner, but it would be terrible if he'd trained -- and the country had spent money -- for nothing in the end.

Let me beg to differ, it would have been a waste of money anyway. He was just playing at soldiers as he would never have done anything that could have put him in danger in the slightest way.
He would have been called "hero" and worn medals in all the parades and that would be that. He would probably take over the controls on some aircraft with some photographers nearby as well as a few very experienced pilots and the next generation, not born yet, would be suitably impressed when they looked at "old" photos.
He is the heir to the heir and I am sure he is going to be looked after in the same way that all heirs and heirs to heirs have been for some time now.
The days when Kings and Princes led their men into battle are long gone.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I am not so sure that it would have been a waste.

I do think that he would have been deployed to work in Search and Rescue in Britain - not in a war zone certainly but still actually operational.

He will get medals anyway - he already has a Jubilee Medal but that isn't the same as a service medal. Both Andrew and Harry have service medals. William will probably, like his father before him, never get those but, also like Charles, he will get medals for other reasons.

 

[Wisteria]

You are far more optimistic than I am ILuv. As for the medals, of course he will, loads of them.

 

[Sereta]

It's not his fault he can't go on the front lines and I'm sure he would prefer that. So he chose the next best thing in Search and Rescue. He can still serve and this way he can work at a job saving lives. You don't have to fight in a war to be a "hero".

 

[Skydragon]

I think it is questionably whether Harry was a hero for spending a short, well guarded time in a theatre of war. Unless William does something spectacular, which let us be honest, he would not be allowed to do, he will just be doing a job he wanted to do and is paid for. Hero seems to be becoming an over used word, so much so that people seem to forget the real meaning of the word.

a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.

Does this description apply to either boy - not in my opinion.

 

[Sereta]

Where did I say in my message that Harry was a hero? My point was you don't have to be on the front lines to "serve" your country. Doing Search and Rescue is just as worthy a way to serve. And I happen to think saving lives is a heroic thing to do.

 

[Skydragon]

Where did I say in my message that Harry was a hero?

You didn't and at no time have I said that you did if you read my post.

 

[Sereta]

I did read your post and from the way you responded it certainly sounded like you implied it.

 

[Wisteria]

Hero seems to be becoming an over used word, so much so that people seem to forget the real meaning of the word.Does this description apply to either boy - not in my opinion.

I have the same dictionary as you Sky, there is no doubt that these days the word hero is losing its meaning because of the levity with which it is used.

 

[Skydragon]

If you choose to read an implication into a post, then that is your choice!

Had I wanted to say 'you said' Harry was a hero, I would have put that. It was an observation of the way Harry was lauded as a hero for his few well guarded weeks and that IMO no matter if William is sat behind a desk, he will receive the same plaudits.

 

[Zonk]

Time to move on.

Let's all agree that we all have our own "interpretation" of what and who a hero is.

Thank you!

Zonk
British Forums Moderator

 

[Sereta]

IMO no matter if William is sat behind a desk, he will receive the same plaudits.

Well he's not sitting behind a desk, he's training as a Searsh & Rescue pilot.

 

[Skydragon]

Well he's not sitting behind a desk, he's training as a Searsh & Rescue pilot.

If you have time to read the linked articles that generated the comment you have picked, you would see that some media outlets were stating that SAR services were being handed to civilians, making William redundant before he gets a chance to put that training into practise!

 

[Sereta]

We'll have to wait and see how these stories pan out and (if they're true) what the outcome will be.

 

[BritishRoyals]

Agree. William may very well continue to serve in the RAF... perhaps just not with Sea Kings

 

[Dierna23]

Prince William, More Than a "Party Prince" - CBS News

 

[Skydragon]

We'll have to wait and see how these stories pan out and (if they're true) what the outcome will be.

Which is exactly what I said in my reply to the article. Although other trades in the RAF have been handed over to civilians, It would not make any sense to completely hand over the primary training theatre. We have all heard that one or two of the bases will be closing, but that just means they will remuster elsewhere..