Prince William Current Events 19: May 2008-May 2009

[Warren]

Welcome to Prince William's current events thread, part 21,
May 2008​

Part 20, covering January to May 2008, can be found here.​

~​

 

[karla64]

Prince William charms Carol at black tie charity dinner

 

[christinacg]

William looks handsome in black tie attire!

 

[msleiman]

so when does he leave for the navy?

 

[atina]

In June. Before that visiting some of his charities and having some time off.

 

[Royal Fan]

Wow hes really gonna be busy for a long timeI Think all next week is booked for him.

 

[Dowager]

Royal blush: Prince William daren't look down

My first post - hope this works .... The Dowager

Royal blush: Prince William daren't look down as Carol Vorderman dons revealing Monroe-style dress | the Daily Mail

 

[iowabelle]

Not a very becoming dress for the lady. It doesn't really expose all that much cleavage, it's just plunging... and she really could have used a little "support."

 

[LadyCat]

Warren, or anyone, what is on the label of Williams coat of arms? I can't find it described and can't find a picture of it that gives enough detail to determine what it is. Being a former heraldry buff I'm a bit curious. Thanks.

Cat

 

[kimebear]

Its an Escallop Gules in reference to the coat of arms of Diana's family.

 

[LadyCat]

Thank you, Kimebear! The color I could see but the escallop was indisinct. Now I'm off to research the Spencer coat of arms.

Cat

 

[PrincessKLS2007]

William looks handsome in black tie attire!

Yes, I have a feeling he'll be hot for quite a while. Thankfully we are the same age so if his looks fade as an elderly, I feel I could appreciate him more and not be a shallow teenybopper type

Although some people say his looks are fading already, his hair's balding, and he is looking more like Charles. Everyone (or almost everyone)'s looks change over time. I'm sure there will come a day when I don't look so young and my strawberry blond hair will be no more

 

[Elspeth]

Just a reminder that this thread is about William, not William and Kate and certainly not Kate without William. Please make sure that posts go in the appropriate threads.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

 

[Polly]

Thank you, Kimebear! The color I could see but the escallop was indisinct. Now I'm off to research the Spencer coat of arms.

Cat

Full descriptions are available from The College of Arms. Sorry that I can't easily copy url for you.

 

[Skydragon]

Thank you, Kimebear! The color I could see but the escallop was indisinct. Now I'm off to research the Spencer coat of arms.

Cat

This might help you.

College of Arms

 

[LadyCat]

Thank you Skydragon! That was one website I overlooked in my search.

And now it seems out beloved Prince William wants to join a air/sea rescue unit.

Prince William | Bid to fly air sea rescue helicopters | Wants to see live action | The Sun |HomePage|News|Royals

Cat

 

[Skydragon]

IF it's true and I see no reason to doubt it, (APART FROM IT IS UNNAMED SOURCES AND IN THE SUN), he will find it challenging and at times great fun. A fair amount of practice rescue's but many hours of boredom. I can't say I have ever thought it to be extremely dangerous. As for flying Nimrods,

 

[Mermaid1962]

The only time I've heard of rescue helicopters being dangerous was when one crashed in Nova Scotia on a training exercise within the last few years. The particular type of helicopter is an older one that needs to be replaced.

I can't say I have ever thought it to be extremely dangerous. As for flying Nimrods,

 

[LadyCat]

Well, a future king does need to find a way to fill the years until it's his turn to wear the big hat. And since dad has already cornered the market on organic gardening/farming and urban development what's the poor boy to do? I think it's admirable of William to apply for the job, I just wonder how he's going to juggle this and royal duties (which we all assume he'll perform after his stint in the RN) and his relationship with Kate, assuming he is accepted into the program. Ooooh, that's a lot of assuming I'm doing.

Cat

 

[MARG]

IF it's true . . . I can't say I have ever thought it to be extremely dangerous.

Am I right in thinking that the terrain in Scotland is somewhat rugged? I do know that flying a large (rescue) helicopter in mountainous country can be very demanding and dangerous when factoring in thermals etc. It takes skill, guts and nerve to keep it all together and not endanger the crew.

 

[Skydragon]

Am I right in thinking that the terrain in Scotland is somewhat rugged? I do know that flying a large (rescue) helicopter in mountainous country can be very demanding and dangerous when factoring in thermals etc. It takes skill, guts and nerve to keep it all together and not endanger the crew.

Without a substantial amount of further training, William would not 'normally' even be considered as a pilot or a Winchman on Air/Sea Rescue.

All I can tell you is that yes the rescues can be 'hairy', (not my expression ), but there are very few accidents involving RAF search and rescue. The ones a lot of them hate are the rescues at sea, they really can test skills to the limit.

To transfer to the RAF isn't a great problem, especially for an officer.

 

[karla64]

William to join Navy patrols

The Press Association: William 'to join Navy drug patrols'

 

[christinacg]

Prince William Addresses Helicopter Controversy - Prince William : People.com

 

[Skydragon]

Prince William Addresses Helicopter Controversy - Prince William : People.com

"I'm working on my license. I'm trying to do as much flying as I can.

If it was all about gaining his pilots license, I suggest he uses a commercial training company and pays for it himself! So yes it was misuse of taxpayer and MOD money!

 

[kpusa1981]

Could William have mispoken (ie meaning some further military flying quaification) If thatwas really what he met to say than it was totally wrong doing those flights whether he had pemission or not.
He looked good at Blackburn with the kids.

 

[Al_bina]

If it was all about gaining his pilots license, I suggest he uses a commercial training company and pays for it himself! So yes it was misuse of taxpayer and MOD money!

The British public should just accept the fact that Prince William is using to taxpayer and MOD funds to indulge himself. Nothing else can be done. Prince Charles seems to approve of his son's endeavours to learn how to fly.

 

[christinacg]

If it was all about gaining his pilots license, I suggest he uses a commercial training company and pays for it himself! So yes it was misuse of taxpayer and MOD money!

But isn't that what every other military person who trains to fly helicopters does...gets in hours by using tax money? Why should William get singled out.

 

[Mermaid1962]

From what I can see, the problem is that William got in his flight hours by taking off and landing in his girlfriend's lawn, flying himself and his brother to a stag party, and flying around his family's properties--which is probably what every trainee would like to be able to do during training but perhaps doesn't get the chance to do. To me, the problem isn't that William took these jaunts, but that neither he nor his advisors seemed to understand how bad this would LOOK to the tax-paying public. William came across as looking like a spoiled rich kid, and so now his public appearances are suspected as being PR shams to make up some goodwill among his future subjects. That's not my opinion, but that's what I'm picking up on.

But isn't that what every other military person who trains to fly helicopters does...gets in hours by using tax money? Why should William get singled out.

 

[Skydragon]

But isn't that what every other military person who trains to fly helicopters does...gets in hours by using tax money? Why should William get singled out.

No, they practice because that is required as part of their full training. They will end up putting their lives at risk! William will have no use to the RAF, if he wanted to get a private pilots license, he should pay out of his own pocket.

 

[ghost_night554]

I guess well from what I seem to understand what he's probably saying is that he wanted to get as much training as possible which I don't see anything wrong with. I guess since he had some functions to attend to they saw it as a good chance to test out his skills he had learned so far which would help him improve in his training. In William's mind he probably saw it as a free ride ( I hate to admit it)and a chance to get in some flying hours. Would most people allowed to do something like this probably not but again that's why people at the RAF were furious about this and why MOD released that statement.But was the ride completly useless in his training I'd say probably not but it most likely wasn't the right thing to do either.