Prince William Current Events 19: May 2008-May 2009

[Skydragon]

From the BBC article

Afterwards, he will learn about helicopter tactics and capabilities with the Army Air Corps, where he is expected to extend his experience as a pilot at the helm of various aircraft

Clocking up those hours towards a civilian licence!

 

[karla64]

The Prince of Wales - Prince William: Military Secondments in Autumn, 2008

 

[Sister Morphine]

Maybe they're letting William get a taste of all the branches so he can see if there's one specific avenue he would like to pursue more in-depth. You know, a taste-test as it were. The Navy seems to be what the family is known for, maybe Will would like to try his hand at the Air Force or Army like his brother?

 

[ysbel]

Charles spent a lot longer in the Navy than William has and it was considered a real working job. It seems to have worked well; I wonder why they've changed things up for William.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Unfortunately it seems to be Charles's fate that people never fully recognize his exceptional abilities. I always have a laugh when I read that William is being hailed by the Navy as a "true leader" - this credit should have gone to his father a long time ago who spent a longer time in the armed forces and made some valuable impact. For some reason William gets praised for doing very little so far while others who do a lot more but their impact is being ignored or even ridiculed.

 

[karla64]

Prince William completes Navy attachment..

ITN - Prince completes Navy attachment

 

[CPV_Rules]

Just a guess...Prince Charles spent a much longer period in the military because there wasn't much chance of him getting the throne at that point in the Queen's life. He had YEARS to wait and fill.

The fact that they are speeding up Prince Williams military service, and getting him into government offices (in spite of all the "general" regulations and procedures one learns about in school - at least in the USA - much of how things really transpire takes place behind closed doors) looks as though he may be put forward for the throne in place of Charles.

Although I seriously doubt you will hear any advance warning of this as the Queen still appears in excellent health.

It looks as though they don't want him to appear too inexperienced when the time comes.

 

[Lemon Lyman]

Completely agree CPV Rules. William will ascend to the throne a lot younger than his father will. When Charles was Williams age his mother was only in her late-forties. Such a different situation.

The only thing I don't agree with is that William will replace his fathers place in succession. Charles will reign (London will be filled for his coronation), but it will be a short reign due to his age.

 

[Skydragon]

US schools are very different to UK schools and William will first have to learn the basics. I doubt William will be involved in any of the 'behind closed doors' activities, especially with our strict Freedom of Information Act. The outcry from the media & politicians that a future King is being involved in politics would be overwhelming and the last thing Clarence House needs is another bad PR exercise. There is no chance of William skipping his father to become King, Charles will follow his mother and William, if the UK hasn't voted for a republic by then, will follow him!

 

[kpusa1981]

The only way William would become King without his father being king first would Charles wer to die before he could becomre king. That does not seem very likely.
Why did set William military service up as series of short attachments?
The non-attachment was with the Blues and Royals. Which was only fully trained with for three or four months before he did his attachment with the RAF which was not much of a success.
Than he did the RN attachment and was deployed to a soft place.
While he is doing his few months he is going from the SAS to the SBS to the SRR to the AAC and with the MoD at Whitehall before he does Civil Service stuff at Whitehall next year as part of Kingship training. Is all this just so he can't be deployed anywhere dangerous?
Prince William seems to be doing so much that could over at least another year and a half or two.

 

[Conny]

I hope we have first King Charles. He is the better men

 

[kimebear]

It's a hard life being a king in waiting.

After two years as an Army officer, Prince William will soon have to move back in with Charles and Camilla at Clarence House as he adjusts to full-time royal duties....


The blonde helping Wills move back with dad, at the age of 26 | Mail Online

 

[Mermaid1962]

I forsee gossipy articles about Thea and William.

 

[Ella Kay]

Was there any question that he wouldn't move back to Clarence House? This part makes it seem like it wasn't a sure thing...

The prince's decision to move back into Clarence House will encourage speculation that he is keen to put off an engagement to his girlfriend Kate Middleton for another 12 months or so.

... but why wouldn't he move back in with Harry? It's not like they're bunking down with Charles and Camilla. They've got their own apartment on an entirely separate floor. I guess when you write for a tabloid and you want controversial news but there isn't any, you've got to invent it.

Plus, we already knew that he was getting ready to set up his own staff, with the press office articles from a few weeks back. And, as an aside, I think it's hilarious that they chose a picture of Thea that looks like she's on holiday or getting ready to go out and have a picnic.

 

[Amelia]

PLATELL'S PEOPLE: Wills must get a job or he'll end up like Charles | Mail Online

By all accounts, William is, in fact, an intelligent and likeable young man. What he desperately needs is a proper job - the very thing his self-pitying father never had.

Just think what a better person Charles would have been if he'd had a productive and fulfilling career, instead of years of idle indulgence with too much time to worry about himself and his tortured love life.

 

[Skydragon]

PLATELL'S PEOPLE: Wills must get a job or he'll end up like Charles | Mail Online

I had to laugh at this -

Soon, doubtless, we'll be told that Wills has earned the admiration of his SAS colleagues by taking part in some daring enterprise - the siege of Boujis, perhaps

 

[Incas]

I don't get this routine of harping against William for doing the rounds with all the armed services. That is his job right now. At some point in his royal life, he would be appointed honorary Chief of a number of services. Having the experience with these services would only help. While undoubtly the tour has its PR value, but to dismiss his experience altogether is grossly unfair. And I for one don't count his, and Harry's, trips to nightclubs as evidence of being playboys. They both have day-jobs and have steady relationships. We all have time off from works/schools to just hangout with friends. As long as he show up at scheduled events the next day and do their bit, he can go to clubs or not at his whim. Thus far, no paper has been able to claim he missed any engagements due to hang-over yet.

As a side note, what has the author done so worthwhile in her life to get on soapbox to dismiss Prince Charles' charity works as not a "productive and fulfilling career".

 

[Isana]

Very true, Incas. I also could not recall when William even went to a nightclub this year. Anyone? The only parties he attended were charity events. Maybe he was also out for a beer with his army pals but he certainly wasn't displaying playboy behaviour or falling out of clubs. Unfortunately some will only too willingly pick up stories like these and repeat it as gospel.

 

[Ella Kay]

I think the "get a job" part of the article is pretty flimsy -- we've all read this week about his increased royal duties and engagements for next year. He will have a job. He's going to be a full-time working royal. Platell doesn't mention that.

But the military criticisms are pretty standard, I think, and it's tough to argue with some of that.

 

[Skydragon]

I don't get this routine of harping against William for doing the rounds with all the armed services. That is his job right now. At some point in his royal life, he would be appointed honorary Chief of a number of services. Having the experience with these services would only help.

By the time William is Chief of anything, technology will have moved on, so unless he gets refresher years, he won't have any more idea than he does now, which is very little.

I think the main reason for the criticism is as Platell writes - could there be a greater insult to the brave fighting men who genuinely risk their lives in the service of their country?, IMO, No. He has spent a short time doing all the 'easy or fun activities', so for CH and Williams PR machine to suggest this will have given him any idea of the various arms, is ludicrous.

As a side note, what has the author done so worthwhile in her life to get on soapbox to dismiss Prince Charles' charity works as not a "productive and fulfilling career".

Worked for the Mail?
------------------------------
Prince William is completing his final day with the Royal Navy following an attachment in the West Indies.
He has been aboard HMS Iron Duke and helped catch drug smugglers in the Caribbean

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20080802/tuk-prince-completes-navy-attachment-dba1618.html

 

[Renata4711]

I think we want them to be all things to all men (and women). Sadly, they will never manage to live up to our expectations.
The Queen came to Musselburgh (next door to Edinburgh) a few weeks ago, and I felt glad that we have a monarch with such extensive experience. I just dread to think what will happen when she is no longer with us.....

 

[Warren]

Posts not discussing William's current activities have been moved over to the How should Prince William spend the next few years thread.
Posts discussing where William and his future wife may live are now in the Future residences thread.

 

[Isana]

More criticism:
I feel it's getting very unfair now. Why should William of all the royals have been the one going to Beijing. The Queen is the head of state it's first and foremost her "job" to represent the country. The second one would be Charles as her representative. William hasn't even started full time royal duties yet. First everyone was eager for politicians and officials to boycot the Olympics in China and suddenly it's almost a crime not to be there?

Wills and Kate take the Picasso | The Sun |News|Columnists|Fergus Shanahan

 

[GrandDuchess]

Well the British royals have never been known to show up at the Olympics en masse, have they? But if I was a Brit I could definitely understand the wish to have at least one other royal there to watch different sports etc, sure The Princess Royal is there but I guess her focus is largely on the equestrian events in Hong Kong (even if she's also awarded medals in other sports recently, something which IOC members do).

 

[muriel]

More criticism:
I feel it's getting very unfair now. Why should William of all the royals have been the one going to Beijing. The Queen is the head of state it's first and foremost her "job" to represent the country. The second one would be Charles as her representative. William hasn't even started full time royal duties yet. First everyone was eager for politicians and officials to boycot the Olympics in China and suddenly it's almost a crime not to be there?

Wills and Kate take the Picasso | The Sun |News|Columnists|Fergus Shanahan

Quite right, just trash written topush a fewcopies. William could have attended, but if the BRF decided that he would not, why blame him? Also, is it not Anne who is President of some Olympic related organsiation? If so, why would Will want to intrude on her turf!

 

[Menarue]

I don´t think it would have hurt Prince William to go to the Olympic Games to support the British Team. As far as Kate Middleton goes, I couldn´t care less. Sometimes people seem to forget how old the Queen is, that hot humid climate would not be very enjoyable or healthy for her. William is young and about time he took on some serious duties and besides that he would have enjoyed himself for sure.

 

[Skydragon]

Wills and Kate take the Picasso | The Sun |News|Columnists|Fergus Shanahan

The Sun is hardly a tabloid to be taken seriously, so I shouldn't worry too much. I'm surprised they have even noticed the Olympics, did it push the topless models to the back?

 

[magnik]

People read this tabloid. Not everyone think like you or Isana or anyone of us.

 

[Skydragon]

People read this tabloid. Not everyone think like you or Isana or anyone of us.

I should think many of the British on here and in 'real' life would say the same about the Sun.

I found this whilst looking for a description of a Sun reader - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=26003462

Sir Humphrey: Prime Minister, what about the people who read the Sun?
Bernard Woolley: Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits

 

[Ella Kay]

People read this tabloid. Not everyone think like you or Isana or anyone of us.

But no matter what the royal family does to try to keep themselves out of the tabloids, these papers are always going to find a story to publish - even if it's on the shady side of truth. So even if people are reading tabloids like The Sun and taking their stories as reality, what are the princes supposed to do? Stop having fun entirely?