Prince William current events 20: January 2008-March 2008

[Kevin_of_Sussex]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

Kevin, are you also going to start "correcting" the forum moderators and admins when we refer to "William"? I'm not seeing anywhere in the rules where formal forms of address are required, just that royals (and others) not be referred to in insulting terms.

As for airplane - we do have some Americans here at TRF, you know.

I understand, and I will not try to be too pedantic in future, particularly if it is clear that, eg. William is the Prince William, and the title can be implied.

[ghost_night554]

He looks good, I'm happy he's doing something what's the word I'm looking for... productive? It'll be an intresting few months.

[unroolie_julie]

Is it me or does he look like he's losing his hair like his uncle?.....doesn't male pattern baldness come from the mothers side of the family?

[ghost_night554]

^Yah he's been losing his hair I think since his early 20's right? (I can't member what age it started at if nayone knows feel free to post it) I think he's the youngest royal to lose his hair from that age right?

[Isana]

He looks good though I was hoping the RAF would require him to get his hair cut really short. I'd like to see what that looks like. He's got good facial features he would look better with his hair extremely short than this mess that makes his bald spot only more visible than it has to be, IMO. Well maybe the Navy'll do the trick.

[andrew]

Originally Posted by ghost_night554

^Yah he's been losing his hair I think since his early 20's right? (I can't member what age it started at if nayone knows feel free to post it) I think he's the youngest royal to lose his hair from that age right?

It seems to run in the family, look at Prince Charles, Philip, Andrew(Philip's father). Unfortunately at William it started at an early age.
Prince Harry seems to be more lucky, he resembles his mother's family!

[CasiraghiTrio]

THE TELEGRAPH ~ Prince William's first steps as a royal high flier
Tuesday, 8 January 2008

By Richard Alleyne

Prince William swapped the turret of a tank for the cockpit of an aeroplane as he began an intensive course on learning to fly in the Royal Air Force.
Said to be the fulfilment of a long-held ambition for the prince, the four-month stint will also provide a taste of life as a "top gun" in the RAF in preparation for his future role as head of the Armed Forces.
The prince, who is following in the footsteps of his father, a qualified pilot, will begin training in a propeller-powered Grob Tutor. But, by the end of his training, he could take control of a Eurofighter Typhoon, Britain's most advanced jet.
In between he will fly transporters, Harrier jump jets, Tornado bombers and helicopters on the course, which is specially designed for him and even has its own codename - Operation Golden Kestrel.

THE PRINCE OF WALES ~ Prince William begins four month attachment with the RAF
Monday, 7 January 2008

.... The prince, an officer with the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, will begin his flying training later today when he joins a class of around 11 students at RAF Cranwell.
He is a Second Lieutenant and a trained troop commander in charge of armoured Scimitar vehicles but during his placement will be known as Flying Officer William Wales, equivalent to his Army rank, and wear an RAF uniform....

New ABACA Press Pictures (18)
See on Image 9, the close up of his name tag: "1 SON No1 EFTS, William Wales"

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

the close up of his name tag: "1 SON No1 EFTS, William Wales"
What does it all mean? It's interesting that the Telegraph claims that he will actually be attached to the RAF, but the official source, Clarence House, states that this is only a "placement" and he is just being known by the rank of Flying Officer, the equivalent of his army rank, as if he is on a secondment to the RAF.

The tag means - One Squadron - Number One Elementary Flight Training School. We Brits like to confuse, secondment, attachment, placement are all the same thing to the forces. He certainly seems to be enjoying himself and I don't think Cranwell has had so many personel needing to pop in, from various bases, for years. Especially WRAF's for some reason.

Originally Posted by Kevin_of_Sussex

Second, on a more technical note (and was corrected by a pilot) that the flying machine is an aircraft, not airplane.

Speaking as Mama to 2 members of the RAF, (soon to be three, we think), none of them seem to worry too much whether it is called an airplane or aircraft. Their only concern is that whatever it is called it stays up when it is supposed to!

[Kevin_of_Sussex]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

Speaking as Mama to 2 members of the RAF, (soon to be three, we think), none of them seem to worry too much whether it is called a airplane or aircraft. There only concern is that whatever it is called it stays up when it is supposed to!

Yes, I agree, that the aircraft stays up, is most important!

I wish Prince William well on his course, and hope he will pass the course, it sounds very demanding.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

The tag means - One Squadron - Number One Elementary Flight Training School. We Brits like to confuse, secondment, attachment, placement are all the same thing to the forces. He certainly seems to be enjoying himself and I don't think Cranwell has had so many personel needing to pop in, from various bases, for years. Especially WRAF's for some reason.

The women officers want to see him in his flight suit. Well, even I, not being one who finds him extraordinarily good looking, have to admit that he does look good in it.

[zembla]

Originally Posted by ghost_night554

^Yah he's been losing his hair I think since his early 20's right? (I can't member what age it started at if nayone knows feel free to post it) I think he's the youngest royal to lose his hair from that age right?

Yeah it happened too early for him...that has to be depressing...

[CasiraghiTrio]

^ I suspect if he was truly bothered about the hair issue, he would do something to fix it. The fact that he leaves it the way it is, shows he probably just takes it in stride, and does the haha when his friends tease him about it. In the Lauer interview he was pretty laid back about Harry bruising his ego. But of course a brother or close friend teasing you is much easier to take than a stranger doing it. Still, he doesn't do anything just to please the media. He seems to be very comfortable with himself. I have to give him that. I suppose he learned from his father how to laugh at himself.

[zembla]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

^ I suspect if he was truly bothered about the hair issue, he would do something to fix it. The fact that he leaves it the way it is, shows he probably just takes it in stride, and does the haha when his friends tease him about it. In the Lauer interview he was pretty laid back about Harry bruising his ego. But of course a brother or close friend teasing you is much easier to take than a stranger doing it. Still, he doesn't do anything just to please the media. He seems to be very comfortable with himself. I have to give him that. I suppose he learned from his father how to laugh at himself.

I don't know if there's much you can do...LOL...he can't wear a toupee...

[CasiraghiTrio]

^ No, I think a toupee would be horrible, although I have heard there are some decent ones for the right price. But I think there are medications you can take to improve hair growth, right?

[donnamusica]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Ceremonial being the operative word. He can give out medals in a suit, he doesn't need to waste our money playing at soldiers. It's ridiculous, he'll NEVER see action so how on earth can it be worth money training him to do something he doesn't and will never have to do. Can't he address soldiers in a suit? Can't he visit them in a suit? The Queen's the ceremonial head of the forces and she does it quite well in a floral two piece. Ok she wore a uniform in the early days of her reign but now she doesn't, why does William have to?

Last time I checked, first-hand experience was a valuable thing to have. For example, if you want to major in Hospitality or Hotel Management in the USA, you have to start by making beds and sweeping floors so that when you run your own hotel, you know exactly how you want things done and how they should be. Besides, there are many worse things Prince William could be doing with his time than being in the army.

[royalone3]

He should use Rogaine to help keep what he has, and then cut his hair short.

[ghost_night554]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

^ No, I think a toupee would be horrible, although I have heard there are some decent ones for the right price. But I think there are medications you can take to improve hair growth, right?

Isn't there some hair surgery or something as well? I think he got a new hair cut cause it appeared that way from the pics when he visisted the burnt victims.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

^ No, I think a toupee would be horrible, although I have heard there are some decent ones for the right price. But I think there are medications you can take to improve hair growth, right?

We know a fellow officer who wore a toupee, apart from the normal problems of 'catching' the hairpiece when removing his headdress, , his head was once seen to turn faster than his toupee. I know there are newer glues but.....