Prince William's Service in the Royal Air Force

[tommy100]

Sadly any future heir is going to face the same problem, they are too 'valuable' to be sent to active war zones where the risks are too high so that prevents them from being in most if not all army units. To be honest I can really only see Search and Rescue or maybe the Navy being viable options for a future heir (e.g. Prince George when he's older)

 

[cepe]

Sadly any future heir is going to face the same problem, they are too 'valuable' to be sent to active war zones where the risks are too high so that prevents them from being in most if not all army units. To be honest I can really only see Search and Rescue or maybe the Navy being viable options for a future heir (e.g. Prince George when he's older)

As Search and Rescue will cease to be run by the RAF in a few years time, that wont be an option either. They will continue to do military service, that is considered necessary for the future Head of the Armed Services.

 

[AdmirerUS]

Again, I think if the Queen made crystal clear where everyone stands in her family, it will help the public and tabloids understand the roles of individual members of the BRF.

As closed mouthed as BP is about almost everything, I don't see this happening. Just for grins and giggles go to the official site of the BFH and read a year's worth of Press releases. Those are the kinds of things upon which HM and crew provide clarity.

They may not be impartial abut themselves, but they are very closed mouthed. They learned that during the war of the Wales, IMHO, when leaks tanked the popularity numbers for the firm.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

About the heir being too valuable I always wondered if that still applied to William when there is a long line of potential people to take his place. It's not like in families that have only one heir and no potential back ups. I would think one could go and when he comes back the other could go. The only potential problem is putting the other soldiers around him in danger from those who want to kill a prince.

 

[cepe]

This is being really blunt. Death is not the issue - being a hostage is.

Same with Harry - no chance as a foot soldier; Apache pilot seen as safer.

 

[amaryllus]

You got a member of a royal family to use as a hostage for propaganda, deal making and threats...that is pure gold to a terrorist.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Still if Harry is allowed to go and he is a potential hostage why not William as well. It's not like if they take him there isn't a dozen behind him who could take his place. Or despite the fact that William isn't the sole resource for the monarchies survival, are they more worried about him as the symbol as an heir not so much being the actual heir.
I do wonder what the military has been told to do if someone tries to take Harry as a hostage, let them take him of under no circumstances let him be captured?

 

[US Royal Watcher]

This is being really blunt. Death is not the issue - being a hostage is.

Same with Harry - no chance as a foot soldier; Apache pilot seen as safer.

I think death would be a huge diplomatic nightmare regardless of whether it was Harry or William. It would have been a major event if the Afghanistan insurgency had killed Prince Harry. It was not only brave for him to go, but it was brave for Charles and the Queen to allow it. I also think Harry's fellow soldiers knew they were under increased threat. Look at what happened to the Navy SEAL team that killed Osama Bin Laden.

 

[cepe]

Im talking about options. Frankly, amember of the royal family dying on active service would be managed, believe me. The complete diplomatic and political mess of capturing amember of the BRf ( or any RF to be honest) would cause a massive effect on military strategy.

Harry working on the ground was seen as a no-no and he was brought home. apache pilot is another kettle of fish . Hes considered as staff as it can get.

but believe me, dying in service, dying forhis country would not be an issue.

 

[US Royal Watcher]

Im talking about options. Frankly, amember of the royal family dying on active service would be managed, believe me. The complete diplomatic and political mess of capturing amember of the BRf ( or any RF to be honest) would cause a massive effect on military strategy.

Harry working on the ground was seen as a no-no and he was brought home. apache pilot is another kettle of fish . Hes considered as staff as it can get.

but believe me, dying in service, dying forhis country would not be an issue.

I disagree because I am looking at it differently. You are looking at it from the point of view of the British government and the monarchy, I'm looking at the impact in the Muslim world. If Harry had been killed, it would have been a major publicity coup for the insurgents. It would have been seen as a point of pride and used in recruiting videos.

 

[Ish]

I disagree because I am looking at it differently. You are looking at it from the point of view of the British government and the monarchy, I'm looking at the impact in the Muslim world. If Harry had been killed, it would have been a major publicity coup for the insurgents. It would have been seen as a point of pride and used in recruiting videos.

And perhaps that may have happened, but it didn't stop the British government from deciding it was okay for Harry to serve in the way that he served.

Harry is not the first British royal to serve in a war, nor is he likely to be the last. Regardless of whatever risks taken through allowing a royal to serve, however, it has always been a fact that the spares are given more opportunity to serve - and more opportunity to be in danger - than the heirs. We've seen this with William and Harry, Charles and Andrew, David, Bertie, and George.

 

[cepe]

I disagree because I am looking at it differently. You are looking at it from the point of view of the British government and the monarchy, I'm looking at the impact in the Muslim world. If Harry had been killed, it would have been a major publicity coup for the insurgents. It would have been seen as a point of pride and used in recruiting videos.

As well as what Ish had to say, which I agree with. Im seeing it as a Brit.

 

[vkrish]

Now the "war" in Afghanistan is almost over. And unless Obama sees a need to poke into some other country's affairs, there is no chance for any "war" in near future..So no point in discussing William's deployment in war zone..

 

[Iluvbertie]

The possibility of 'peacekeeping' in either Syria or Egypt in the near future can't be discounted as a potential placement for William.

 

[soapstar]

There was talk in Prince George's thread about William's RAF shift, so I thought I'd bring the talk to this thread. According to an article posted on the Duke and Duchess' official site, William and his crew work a 24-hour shift and then they clock off and go home. The next day they are on "2nd standby".

Each morning will begin with a briefing from the off-going duty SAR crew from the previous shift. Typically, this will include an engineering brief about the state of their aircraft, an update on specific air and ground activities in the area and the local and national weather forecasts for the next 5 days.

From the moment the crew starts its shift, they are at “Readiness State 15” between 8am and 10pm, which means they aim to be airborne within 15 minutes of receiving a search and rescue call. As the crew operate on a 24 hour duty, they adopt “Readiness State 45” at night, which allows extra time to plan and prepare for night-time operations.

As the end of their 24 hour shift draws to a close, the crew will prepare a comprehensive brief for the next day’s on-coming crew and then brief them on what lies ahead, before hanging up their flying kit and heading home. The outgoing crew may also test fly aircraft which have been recently repaired at the end of their shift. Once the outgoing crew has clocked off, they remain on “2nd standby” for the majority of the next day, standing by to support more complex search and rescue operations if the call for help is made.

 

[AdmirerUS]

Thanks for link to W&C's site where his job is described. I had not seen it and found it interesting.

The question beyond the 24 shift designations (on duty and off duty but on call) is when do they actually get time off where they are not on call or test flying repaired aircraft.

That's what people are speaking to in the 4 on 4 off talk. Some people who know flyers have said there is that kind of schedule. It's reinforced when you look at The Duke's appearances outside Anglesey, which seem to show a 4 day periodicity.

It's rare when you see William 5 days in a row (though it has happened) - but a number of times he has shown up in the press/social media snaps/appearances 3-4 days in a row. Then disappeared for 4 -5 days and showed up for 1-4 days. And those patterns hold up in eight day blocks over months.

The easiest way to check this is to look at Zimbio or Getty photos. The Court Circular is less reliable, because the dates given for appearances are not always correct.

 

[soapstar]

You're welcome. I thought the article was interesting too. It cleared up a few things for me. Some were saying that William is on call and on base 24/7 for 4 days, but as the article above states, he's not. His crew is on call for one 24 hour period, then another crew takes over and William's crew goes home (but remains on 2nd standby...they're only called if the first crew needs assistance).

The only thing I've seen in regards to their specific/actual time off is from Penny Juror's book. One of his crew is quoted as saying they get 3 days on duty and 3-4 days off. I haven't seen anything about 4 days on and 4 days off. But I could be wrong.

I don't know if we can tell much from looking at Zimbio or Getty. Some of his engagements may be in between his shifts (on his days off), but he also may be taking extra time. In fact, I think there was an article last year that said William was behind his flying times due to some of his royal duties.

 

[cepe]

When they are on 2nd standby they need to be close to the base so no royals duties during that time because it disrupts the team. So no royal duties when on 1st (at the base full-time) and 2nd call. That is where the 3-4 day shifts come from.

William can get to the base within 10-15 mins from his Anglesey home.

That's how I've understood it.

EDIT: I think one of the sources of the information was Penny Junor but not 100% sure.

 

[Osipi]

When they are on 2nd standby they need to be close to the base so no royals duties during that time because it disrupts the team. So no royal duties when on 1st (at the base full-time) and 2nd call. That is where the 3-4 day shifts come from.

William can get to the base within 10-15 mins from his Anglesey home.

That's how I've understood it.

EDIT: I think one of the sources of the information was Penny Junor but not 100% sure.

I'm not exactly sure how the RAF handles it but I would imagine during the times they are on station and on call, there's restrictions as far as alcohol consumption. Here in WV, in order to run emergency calls, its no drinking for at least 8 hours before responding to a call. With the 3-4 days off, it allows William to partake (such as at the stag this weekend) yet be withing regulation when he returns to the base.

 

[soapstar]

When they are on 2nd standby they need to be close to the base so no royals duties during that time because it disrupts the team. So no royal duties when on 1st (at the base full-time) and 2nd call. That is where the 3-4 day shifts come from.

William can get to the base within 10-15 mins from his Anglesey home.

That's how I've understood it.

EDIT: I think one of the sources of the information was Penny Junor but not 100% sure.

That's how I understood it too. The 2nd shift has to be near the base, so any royal duties that William undertakes would be during days off or taken out of his vacation time.

 

[cepe]

I'm not exactly sure how the RAF handles it but I would imagine during the times they are on station and on call, there's restrictions as far as alcohol consumption. Here in WV, in order to run emergency calls, its no drinking for at least 8 hours before responding to a call. With the 3-4 days off, it allows William to partake (such as at the stag this weekend) yet be withing regulation when he returns to the base.

Restrictions re flying are normally 48 hours.

 

[Rocketmom]

It appears to be generally assumed that William will leave the RAF and no longer be on active duty in the military. If, as he has said so frequently, he sincerely loves his job, why not stay in the RAF. Yes, he wants to be a hands on Dad but many fathers are on active duty. Many of his fellow crew members are probably parents. If they love Angelsy, why not stay there. They obviously have body guards who live with them there. What has changed since Kate gave birth. The queen has Charles, Andrew, Edward, and many others to take on some of her duties. And here's what I know will be an unpopular opinion....if she needs everyone else to take over various duties, then she should step down and let the others take over. I think Queen Beatrix had the right idea. But I know it will never happen in the U.K.

 

[MarNoe]

It appears to be generally assumed that William will leave the RAF and no longer be on active duty in the military. If, as he has said so frequently, he sincerely loves his job, why not stay in the RAF. Yes, he wants to be a hands on Dad but many fathers are on active duty. Many of his fellow crew members are probably parents. If they love Angelsy, why not stay there. They obviously have body guards who live with them there. What has changed since Kate gave birth. The queen has Charles, Andrew, Edward, and many others to take on some of her duties. And here's what I know will be an unpopular opinion....if she needs everyone else to take over various duties, then she should step down and let the others take over. I think Queen Beatrix had the right idea. But I know it will never happen in the U.K.

The biggest change is that the SAR service has been privatised and will no longer be manned by the RAF.

 

[muriel]

It appears to be generally assumed that William will leave the RAF and no longer be on active duty in the military. If, as he has said so frequently, he sincerely loves his job, why not stay in the RAF. Yes, he wants to be a hands on Dad but many fathers are on active duty. Many of his fellow crew members are probably parents. If they love Angelsy, why not stay there. They obviously have body guards who live with them there. What has changed since Kate gave birth.

There has been no public announcement (just speculation and conjecture)on the future of William's service in the armed forces, other than his comments today that his tour of duty at Anglesey will now be coming to an end.

As has been widely commented, he could take another SAR posting (though the SAR is being privatised), or he could return to the Army and take another "non-frontline" role. Alternatively, he may choose to leave the armed forces completely. The decision to increase his royal duties may be based on a desire to help the Queen manage her work-load, or purely by a desire to increase his own royal presence. Also, C&C already have a pretty full roster of commitments, and there are only so many more they can take on. Further, there may be "senior royal" commitments that HM may only want to pass down to future monarchs and their spouses, and not to any of her younger children.

 

[Dman]

The older royal already have a great deal on their plates and pretty much maintain a busy schedule. It's time for William & Catherine to take on more royal duties.

 

[Skippyboo]

The older royal already have a great deal on their plates and pretty much maintain a busy schedule. It's time for William & Catherine to take on more royal duties.

The older royals have give up somethings also. William could take over the management of Windsor and Sandringham farms from his grandfather but Philip has to let him do it.

 

[cepe]

The older royals have give up somethings also. William could take over the management of Windsor and Sandringham farms from his grandfather but Philip has to let him do it.

They have estate managers doing that work.

 

[Dman]

I think Skippyboo meant William could take on the role of Ranger of Windsor Great Park, which is a role now held by Prince Philip since 1952. I had heard a while back that Prince Philip would hand over that role to William at some point. It's a role that is only taken up by someone who's close to The Queen.

The older royals have taken on a great deal responsibility over the years and more was added when Princess Margaret & The Queen Mother passed away. Now with The Queen & Duke of Edinburgh aging and slowing down a bit, it's just time for the younger royals to take on some bigger roles within the "Firm." They are the ones that the people look to now and William & Catherine and Harry has brung a lot of positive attention to this very old institution.

 

[cepe]

I think Skippyboo meant William could take on the role of Ranger of Windsor Great Park, which is a role now held by Prince Philip since 1952. I had heard a while back that Prince Philip would hand over that role to William at some point. It's a role that is only taken up by someone who's close to The Queen.

The older royals have taken on a great deal responsibility over the years and more was added when Princess Margaret & The Queen Mother passed away. Now with The Queen & Duke of Edinburgh aging and slowing down a bit, it's just time for the younger royals to take on some bigger roles within the "Firm." They are the ones that the people look to now and William & Catherine and Harry has brung a lot of positive attention to this very old institution.

Are you sure that is what is meant. There is a massive difference between being Ranger of Windsor Great Park and managing the Home Farms.

 

[Dman]

Royal Central ‏@RoyalCentral 3m
We've just been told that an announcement on all the details about Prince William's career is to be made soon.