One of the centerpiece pledges of Rishi Sunak’s reelection campaign in the UK is that he wants to bring back “national service.” As in, mandatory military or community service for all young people for one year or longer. As I said previously, the Tories will likely face historic losses in the Fourth of July election, so all of these Tory schemes will likely be moot. But it’s become a national conversation in the UK, about whether or not a modern “national service” model would work and what it would look like in practice. Sunak claims that no one would be exempt either, especially not the young royals like Prince George, Charlotte and Louis. So what does Prince William make of his Tory handlers trying to conscript his children into national service? From the Mail’s Ephraim Handcastle column:
Does Prince William endorse Rishi’s plans for a grandkids army? My source whispers that army veteran William knows the perils of being unprepared for the demands of military life and the emotional strain it can bring.
He highlighted the subject in a recent guide to dealing with suicide in the Armed Forces. He also spoke about mental health awareness on a visit to Combermere Barracks in March.
And William and Kate’s Royal Foundation has published research showing that 40 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds struggle with managing their emotions.
Sounds like William feels that pushing unprepared teenagers into uniform could do more harm than good.
“William knows the perils of being unprepared for the demands of military life and the emotional strain it can bring.” Dude was a part-time RAF pilot who saw his military service as a way to avoid royal work. But yes, I would absolutely say that William was “unprepared” for the military and he doesn’t want his kids to go through it. Remember this whole storyline last year, when Kensington Palace briefed reporters that William and Kate were “modern parents” who would not force George to join the military? They got a lot of pushback from the military community on that one. But it does feel like William doesn’t have any affection for the Windsor tradition of “every royal man must serve in uniform.”
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- Copyright in the photograph is vested in The Prince and Princess of Wales. Publications are asked to credit the photograph to Josh Shinner. The photograph shall be solely used for news editorial purposes only. It shall not be approved for souvenirs, or memorabilia; or anything colourably similar. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photograph (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non news editorial use. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. The photograph shall not be used after 31st December 2024 without prior permission from Kensington Palace. Any questions relating to the use of the photograph should be first referred to Kensington Palace and before publication. Undated handout photo issued by Kensington Palace of the Prince and Princess of Wales with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The photograph, which features on their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card this year, was taken by the photographer Josh Shinner earlier this year and shows The Prince and Princess with their three children in Windsor. NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.,Image: 828291451, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William speaks to service personal at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. King Charles III officially handed over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales.,Image: 872574556, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WPA POOL GETTY PA AFP REUTERS NPA IPA CPNA IN, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kin Cheung / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William speaks to service personal at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. King Charles III officially handed over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales.,Image: 872574666, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WPA POOL GETTY PA AFP REUTERS NPA IPA CPNA IN, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kin Cheung / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William walks with service personal at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. King Charles III officially handed over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales.,Image: 872574753, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WPA POOL GETTY PA AFP REUTERS NPA IPA CPNA IN, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kin Cheung / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William stands in front of an Apache helicopter at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. King Charles III officially handed over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales.,Image: 872590545, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WPA POOL GETTY PA AFP REUTERS NPA IPA CPNA IN, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kin Cheung / Avalon
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- Marseille, FRANCE – Prince William, Prince of Wales and his son Prince George attend the Rugby World Cup 2023 Quater final match Wales Vs Argentina in Marseille. Pictured: Prince William, Prince George BACKGRID USA 14 OCTOBER 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Marseille, FRANCE – Prince William, Prince of Wales and his son Prince George attend the Rugby World Cup 2023 Quater final match Wales Vs Argentina in Marseille. Pictured: Prince George, Prince William BACKGRID USA 14 OCTOBER 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- The Prince of Wales and Prince George watch from the box during day four of the second Ashes test match at Lord’s. Featuring: Prince William, Prince George Where: London, United Kingdom When: 01 Jul 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Men’s final at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at the AELTC. Featuring: Daniel Craig, Prince George and William, Prince of Wales watching the action on Centre Court Where: London, United Kingdom When: 16 Jul 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I’m sure finding out that not everyone thinks the sun rises and sets around you was very upsetting to Peg. All that disrespect must have been mind blowing!
Yes- and wasn’t he a backseat, part-time air ambulance assistant-pilot?
Yes. Normally the air ambulances have a single pilot seat.
Will’s Granny had to go and buy the Norfolk Air Ambulance a special two-seater cockpit one, so that Willy could cosplay being a qualified pilot (which he still isn’t; so those Apache helicopters he takes selfies with are not leaving the ground by his hands).
I get the impression that William can’t stand the military and were it up to him he would have never joined.
That’s because his comrades probably weren’t kissing his arse and his superiors didn’t spare him just because he is the future king. And he probably lacked respect for authority too.
Also, his brother was better at it than he was.
The things that Harry liked about the military – having to prove himself, being treated as equal, and given the same opportunities as everyone else – are probably the exact things that William hated about it
I remember noises being made at one point yrs ago about Willy being sent to do a stint in Iraq. Either he threw a tantrum until they told him don’t worry, he won’t have to go, or they pulled it out of worry he might suffer “friendly fire”.
Well said Becks, you have hit the nail on the head.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if all world leaders would require all children to take Peace as a global Resolution service instead of military conscription? Yes, “you may call me a dreamer, but I’m not the only one” – We all know, war is a money making machination, so until profit is out equation, that will never happen. Sigh
“And the world will live as one.” I’m a dreamer as well
War only benefits the leaders, for everyone else it is hell.
@Cheshire Sass – perhaps if more of the rich, privileged class children and children of government/leaders were conscripted to military service, those rich and powerful people would be less war hungry
Does the govt give a stipend for that one year? William’s kids will not have to worry about whether they’ll need a stipend to do a year of service. I had actually assumed that at least one of the kids would be pushed into doing military stuff. Won’t George? Or maybe they’ll all just wear the chocolate medals.
According to the DM they’re planning on making exceptions for young football players so yes, this will be very selective. Kids from rich families will never participate.
Same as in the U.S. draft. I know a seventy-something who attended an elite college back during the Vietnam War after the government did away with college deferments. He will brag and laugh about how out of thirty students who were called up, including himself, 29 got medical exemptions no investigation undertaken, because the university sent them all to the same doctor who basically lied that all of them had the same heart condition that would preclude military service.
Yeah this is a big lie, the Tories would never demand service from the aristocracy. That’s how they’ll sell the idea, of course, but that’s not how it would work in effect.
The conservatives the world over are no longer the movement of “hard work and bootstraps”, whatever that meant (and as racist as it was under the surface), but of oligarchy and neo fascism.
Football players get exceptions?? Oh, that is rich. And I suppose they mean only the male footballers, not the female players.
Ok, now they’ve changed their minds and apparently there would be no exceptions. We are still so far away from July 4th, if they keep changing their minds every day will never get to the end of it.
Ah yes, let’s not commit to serving but we will most definitely wear the shiny, fluffy costumes when the time comes.
Yes the do like those unearned medals to display.
Jeez, even that photo of him in fatigues is terrible.
Those clothes are so brand new, they still have the wrinkles from being folded up for storage. I don’t even think they’ve been washed yet. He’s in a costume while the 2 men on either side are wearing them like regular clothes.
“William and Kate’s Royal Foundation has published research showing that 40 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds struggle with managing their emotions.”
Kate isn’t usually mentioned in the same breath as William these days, especially not work they do together.
Well it had to happen eventually, if this reporting is accurate there is finally something William and I agree upon.
William’s idea of military service is wearing medals he hasn’t earned on uniforms of units where he never served while having photos taken sitting in the pilot’s seat of aircraft he never qualified to fly. All to show he is a big boy, just like his brother!
William struggles to manage his emotions, as does Kate, and both are on their 40s. Maybe their royal foundation should research that, since they’re about to have the power of a king and queen.
The working royals already see their “work” as national service. If the family follows tradition, the kids will get uniforms and medals and military ranks regardless. Look at Edward and Anne. Whichever government body gets put in charge will agree that their engagements from the court circular count as their national service. The new requirements will “apply” to them but nothing will change.
I thought the royals were supposed to stay tf out of politics. I’m not convinced the author didn’t just pull this story out of their arse, but if William briefed on a contentious election issue—he needs to shut up and king.
I think it’s pure fiction, with the author stating his own opinion. His ‘logic’ just doesn’t pan out.
Sounds odd for a man who is going to be CIC of the armed forces when his dad dies, then again what about his elder son, William does know something about being in the army, but will George when he gets the CICs job.
Charles and William are just as wicked as Caligula and Nero. Charles set up Diana to make his evil mistress Queen. Then claims to have cancer to steal any sympathy his dil’s would receive. Didn’t Harry confirm it’s Charles that determines when and where family members appear in public. KC3 doesn’t want Kate out. He, Camilla and William want Kate gone. Last year’s Chelsea Flower show rebellion along with the coronation faux tiara was final straw. Now Kate’s out of commission with a debilitating disease. Forcing her to stay out of the public allows them to control Kate and is also a warning to her at the same bc if she doesn’t play ball, her illness suddenly takes a turn for the worse. No wonder Meghan was at her wits end and suicidal among such wickedness.
This. They truly are vile.
Well, all the signs point to the liklihood that Kate is ALREADY gone. So the three ghouls got their wish, I guess.
🙄 “… knows the perils of being unprepared for the demands of military life and the emotional strain it can bring.”
But Kate & William are absolutely the most bestest parents on the planet raising the most emotionally-balanced children in England! Those have TWO parents at home, after all! Shouldn’t be a problem!
“He highlighted the subject in a recent guide to dealing with suicide in the Armed Forces. He also spoke about mental health awareness …. … 40 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds struggle with managing their emotions.”
But per Kate’s Early Years Institute (whatever it’s called), kids that get 100% of their parents attention–not divided with work or anything like that!–and get outside to play a lot will be happy & healthy & fully prepared for the world. The Wales kids should be fine, right? 😏
“Sounds like William feels that pushing unprepared teenagers into uniform could do more harm than good.”
But but but–W&K have all the time in the world to prepare their kids for a year in uniform, they’ve told us again & again that they don’t work because family life is soooo important. One might think that all that palaver coming from William & Kate about mental health and first five years is just…a show, a meaningless display of busywork. Huh.
Oh I bet Peggy is just a little incandescent with rage over this..
It isn’t going to happen, Sunak is just saying it to try to get back the elderly vote of those who are fed up with not being able to see their doctor.
It doesn’t matter how he thinks. As royals, his children are going to join one of the armed forces, conscription or not. Leaving aside tradition and convention, the armed forces are the royal family’s power base. Make no mistake, he will send his children there, even if Kate is against it.