British Royals

Up-to-date news, info and analysis on the British Royal Family

Posts Tagged RAF

Prince William Adds £1.4m to Security Bill by Choosing to Live Off-Base

Jul 19

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince William | 1 Comment

Prince William - an additional £1.4m for his protection

Prince William - an additional £1.4m for his protection

Prince William is under fire again…

Prince William’s decision to live outside his RAF base will cost the taxpayer £1.4 million a year, it has been revealed. As second in line to the throne, the prince is classified as the highest security risk and has round-the-clock armed protection.

A 15-strong unit of armed officers from North Wales Police has been set up to protect the Prince as he undertakes a three-year helicopter pilot training course at RAF Valley on Anglesey. The bill for providing round-the-clock armed protection at the island retreat means North Wales Police will lose 15 frontline officers unless it is given additional public funds.

William is renting a secluded country cottage near the port of Holyhead rather than living at the heavily protected RAF base so he can spend more time with his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, and their friends.

The extra cost of protecting him outside the base has infuriated police chiefs at a time when force budgets are being slashed and royal protection funding is under intense scrutiny.

A spokesman for Clarence House refused to discuss policing arrangements. He added: “Prince William has lived off-base for almost two years now and he’s lived in this particular cottage since about March. It isn’t new. For an officer of his age and rank it is quite normal to live off-base for reasons of privacy. Obviously if you live on base, when you are off-duty you only have your room to go to. This is what most officers do, especially when they become operational which the prince will be in the autumn.”

Articles: Daily Mail | The Express

Prince William is tickled by Rory Bremner the racy court jester

Princes William and Harry are amused as Rory Bremner makes them the butt of his jokes at a charity event.

At a fundraiser for the Great Western Air Ambulance last weekend, the television impressionist joked that William was interested in air ambulances only because he liked to use the helicopters to drop off his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, who was also present.

The fancy-dress event at the Beaufort Polo Club had a cowboy theme and Bremner lamented that Harry could not wear his Nazi uniform.

Paul Weir, the charity’s chief executive, says: “How refreshing that Princes William and Harry were able to share in Rory Bremner’s jokes, even if they were at the expense of their Royal Highnesses. Their sense of fun and good humour really put the seal on a wonderful event.”

Article: The Telegraph

While Harry was at polo, Prince William played charity cricket

He’s second in line to the throne… but Prince William was third to bat at a cricket match on Saturday. William got nine runs at the charity game organised by a pal in Bledington, Oxon, before being caught.

Article: The Mirror

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Prince William News Bits (July 4, 2010)

Jul 4

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince William | 1 Comment

William’s fight with Palace over his Falklands mission

Prince William is battling to go to the Falkland Islands next year as an RAF search-and-rescue helicopter pilot.

William finishes his training in the autumn and is due to travel to the Falklands for eight weeks next summer. But there is a huge question mark over whether Buckingham Palace will let him take up the post because Argentina is pressing its claim to the islands.

A source told The Mail on Sunday: “He will try everything in his power to make sure he goes out there with the rest of RAF Valley in Anglesey. He has Royal engagements and other official duties, and that has to be considered, but he is adamant that he is going.”

If this is true, does this rule out a royal wedding next year?…  Royal weddings almost always take place during the summer.  An 8-week Falklands tour of duty might prove too busy and distant for a proper wedding to take place.

Article: Daily Mail

Army Cuts: Prince William will fly old, unreliable choppers

Prince William is destined to fly old and unreliable helicopters in his next job – thanks to Prime Minister David Cameron’s spending axe. The Government reductions include cutting a £7billion programme for new search and rescue choppers.

Wills, who is on a two-year course at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, and other young pilots were due to fly the 190mph Sikorsky S92, dubbed “the safest helicopter in the world”. Instead they’ll have to stick with ageing Sea King choppers, which first entered service 33 years ago and are 30% slower.

Article: Daily Star

William & Kate’s university residence rented for golf competition

With its secluded woodland and single access road, the sprawling estate opposite the famous Old Course in St Andrews, Fife, was the perfect place for the royal romance to flourish.  Now Strathtyrum, literally a tee shot from the 17th hole, is set to be overtaken by a handful of the world’s wealthiest golf fans seeking a haven during this year’s Open Championship.

A number of properties – thought to include the cottage used by William and girlfriend Kate Middleton – have been rented out for the tournament by estate owner Henry Cheape, a distant cousin of the prince and a friend to the Royals.

Prince William spent two years living in a farmhouse in the grounds along with his girlfriend and two other friends, before graduating with a degree in geography from St Andrews University in 2005.

Article: The Express

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Prince William Set for the Falklands

May 3

Posted by britishroyals in Prince William | 1 Comment

Prince William may be posted in the Falklands

Prince William may be posted in the Falklands

Adam Helliker of the Express reveals that Prince William is to be sent to the Falklands, where the RAF is beefing up its defences amid renewed aggressive noises from the Argentinians.

Despite this renewed tension, the RAF is making provisional plans to post Prince William for a tour of duty in the Falklands, where his uncle Prince Andrew served as a helicopter pilot in the fierce fighting of the last conflict, which cost the lives of 255 British combatants.

“Crews do relief stints out in the Falklands, where we operate Sea King helicopters for search and rescue, and it’s being pencilled in for William sometime down the line,” says a senior RAF source. “He’ll do a couple of months there.”

If so, it means more time away from girlfriend Kate Middleton. William currently rents a cottage in RAF Valley, and Kate often comes to visit during the weekends.

Article: The Express

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William & Kate’s New Life in the Welsh Countryside

Apr 17

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince William, Princess Diana | No Comments

It is more than an hour to the nearest chic shopping centre and a world away from glitzy West End nightclubs, but Kate Middleton is busy mapping out a new life living in the Welsh countryside. Kate’s future lies in a North Wales farmhouse where she and Prince William plan to spend a growing amount of time together in the next few months. It could even end up being their first marital home.

A friend of the couple tells Richard Palmer that, for the moment at least, Kate intends to continue working for her family’s Berkshire-based business, Party Pieces, but is likely to spend an increasing amount of time with William in North Wales, where he will be based as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot for the next 3 years. William moved into a farmhouse this week to allow him and Kate more privacy.

As a Flight Lieutenant co-pilot earning around £35,000 a year, Prince William will work 24-hour shifts, sleeping at his base when on duty.  He will work 3 of those 24-hour shifts in a 6-day period and in times of emergency, such as widespread flooding, could be on call the next day, meaning he will have to be within an hour of the base.

But there will be long periods off in each month, while at other times he will be doing routine training. Typically, he will work 7 or 8 shifts a month and normally no more than 10. The job has its dangers. Emergency calls can be treacherous in bad weather and William is likely to find himself in some challenging situations. But this is exactly why he choose RAF Valley and its challenging terrain.

Life in a secluded countryside might have its down side, but it may bring the privacy the couple yearns. While William will continue with his royal obligations, looks like we won’t be seeing too much ribbon-cutting for years to come.

Article: The Express





On a lighter note, here’s another Kate – Diana fashion comparison.  It’s definitely not new.  As usual, the papers probably just need something to fill their pages…

Article with side-by-side pictures: Kate Middleton takes style inspiration from Prince William’s late mother (Daily Mail)

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Prince William’s First SAR Posting – North Wales!

Apr 15

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince William | 1 Comment

Prince William's first posting: RAF Valley in North Wales

Prince William will be posted to RAF Valley in Anglesey when he qualifies as a Search and Rescue pilot later this year, St James’s Palace has announced. The 27-year-old royal is currently training on the same base off the coast of North Wales and has opted to remain on the isolated island for his first 3-year posting. His training ends in September. He will immediately join Number 22 Squadron as a fully qualified, fully operational squadron pilot flying the Sea King 3A helicopter.

Initially, William will act as the helicopter’s co-pilot. Promotion to captain, and in effect command of the aircraft, is dependent on his performance. A typical tour for a pilot on the Search and Rescue Force is 30 to 36 months.

This news comes as a bit of a surprise to some royal watchers, as they suspected William to have chosen a base closer to girlfriend Kate Middleton. But apparently, he chose between 2 options: RAF Valley, or RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland — both very remote places, and as far from London as it gets. Perhaps William highly prefers a private life in the country. This location can mean either one of two things: (1) an extended long distance relationship with Kate for the next 3 years; or as Daily Mail suspects, (2) spending the first few years of married life with Kate in family quarters close to his base, and away from London. Which will it be? We’ll just have to “wait and see”…

William has in recent months been living in a secluded cottage in RAF Valley, where Kate could visit privately. He’s likely to keep this residence for the rest of his posting.

Articles: Daily Mail | BBC | Telegraph





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News Bits: Jan 27, 2010

Jan 27

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince William, The Middleton Family | No Comments

Prince Charles bills Kate Middleton’s family for holiday

Prince Charles made Kate’s family pay for their Christmas holiday at historic Restormel Manor in Cornwall.  Regular winter rates would be around £3,000 a week.  The property is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, whose income pays for Charles’ public, charitable and private activities.  A royal source told The Sun: “The Middletons paid for their stay like anyone else booking a holiday there.” This is the holiday when the Middletons were photographed playing tennis, and Kate — using the Queens lawyers — took legal action.

Article: The Sun

Prince William starts RAF Search & Rescue Training in Anglesey

Wills has returned from a Royal tour of Australia to spend 8 months at the Anglesey airbase with the Search and Rescue Training Unit.  He will be staying at the officer’s quarters with other trainees, and will be trained with Sea King helicopters.  “This will see him training over the mountains of Snowdonia and off the coast of North Wales. He will probably remain at the base until August or September, at which point he will receive his first posting.”

Article: North Wales Daily Post

Prince Charles hits out at ITV; won’t ski at Klosters this year

Prince Charles has attacked ITV bosses for axing the South Bank Show after 32 years. Speaking in front of a star-studded crowed during the South Bank Show Awards, he insisted the popular show had been ‘the most important beacon of arts that the country has had’.  [Article: Daily Mail]. Clarence House has also confirmed that Prince Charles won’t be skiing at Klosters this year.  Rumours say he was advised by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to cut on expenses during the recession, though Clarence House denies it.  [Article: The Telegraph]

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