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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| William graduating from Sandhurst | William graduating from Sandhurst |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Prince William is being commissioned as an officer into the British Army as he graduates from Sandhurst. | |
| The prince, who has been described by fellow trainee officers as "a normal guy", will become a 2nd Lieutenant. | The prince, who has been described by fellow trainee officers as "a normal guy", will become a 2nd Lieutenant. |
| His girlfriend Kate Middleton has arrived to watch the 24-year-old future King on the parade ground. | |
| The ceremony comes the day after the official investigation into the death of William's mother, Princess Diana, concluded she died in an accident. | |
| Both William and his brother Prince Harry welcomed the "conclusive findings" of Thursday's report by Lord Stevens and called for speculation surrounding their mother's death to come to an end. | |
| 'Lobbing potatoes' | 'Lobbing potatoes' |
| The Sandhurst ceremony will involve up to 465 cadets, including 78 women, with more than 220 officer cadets such as the prince passing out and receiving their commissions. | The Sandhurst ceremony will involve up to 465 cadets, including 78 women, with more than 220 officer cadets such as the prince passing out and receiving their commissions. |
| At the traditional passing out ceremony, the Queen will take the Sovereign's Parade and give a speech. | At the traditional passing out ceremony, the Queen will take the Sovereign's Parade and give a speech. |
| The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and William's stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall were also expected to be attending. | |
| He's just a normal guy that gets stuck in like everybody else Junior Under Officer Angela Laycock | He's just a normal guy that gets stuck in like everybody else Junior Under Officer Angela Laycock |
| This is the first occasion that Ms Middleton has been at a high-profile public event as Prince William's guest that is also attended by the Queen and other senior royals. | |
| She arrived at the ceremony dressed in a black hat and salmon-coloured coat. | |
| Junior Under Officer Angela Laycock, who is in the prince's Blenheim Platoon, said the prince was not regarded any differently by his fellow cadets. | Junior Under Officer Angela Laycock, who is in the prince's Blenheim Platoon, said the prince was not regarded any differently by his fellow cadets. |
| She said: "He's just a normal guy that gets stuck in like everybody else." | She said: "He's just a normal guy that gets stuck in like everybody else." |
| Miss Laycock, 24, said the only difference was that "sometimes we'll see his name in the paper and you didn't notice he'd been off that evening doing a charity do." | Miss Laycock, 24, said the only difference was that "sometimes we'll see his name in the paper and you didn't notice he'd been off that evening doing a charity do." |
| On riot training he had been "grabbing potatoes and lobbing them at the force protection people just like the rest of us", she added. | On riot training he had been "grabbing potatoes and lobbing them at the force protection people just like the rest of us", she added. |
| 'Hard work' | 'Hard work' |
| Major General Peter Pearson, Commandant of Sandhurst, said the prince had undergone the same gruelling regime as other trainee officers. | Major General Peter Pearson, Commandant of Sandhurst, said the prince had undergone the same gruelling regime as other trainee officers. |
| Becoming an officer "takes a lot of hard work" he said. | Becoming an officer "takes a lot of hard work" he said. |
| The prince, second in line to the throne, has chosen to join the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals alongside his brother Prince Harry, who graduated from Sandhurst earlier this year. | The prince, second in line to the throne, has chosen to join the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals alongside his brother Prince Harry, who graduated from Sandhurst earlier this year. |
| The Prince has expressed a wish to serve in combat | The Prince has expressed a wish to serve in combat |
| Both princes have indicated they are prepared to fight in zones of conflict, but it is not likely a future monarch would be allowed to see front-line action. | Both princes have indicated they are prepared to fight in zones of conflict, but it is not likely a future monarch would be allowed to see front-line action. |
| Major Pearson said it was "perfectly understandable" that they would want to "go where their soldiers go". | Major Pearson said it was "perfectly understandable" that they would want to "go where their soldiers go". |
| But he added: "It's a tricky decision that, thankfully, I don't have to make but I can perfectly understand why both of them want to serve with their soldiers." | But he added: "It's a tricky decision that, thankfully, I don't have to make but I can perfectly understand why both of them want to serve with their soldiers." |
| Major General Sebastian Roberts, general officer commanding the Household Division and Prince William's new boss, said the prince's deployment to a conflict zone could not be ruled out. | |
| "Of course there are special factors for William, but nothing should be ruled in or out," he said. | |
| He added that the prince had done "very well" at the military academy in Camberley, Surrey. | |
| Footage of the prince on exercise and handling a practice hostage situation has been released to coincide with the ceremony. | Footage of the prince on exercise and handling a practice hostage situation has been released to coincide with the ceremony. |
| The prince is shown aiming his SA80 rifle with yellow safety cap at a "hostage taker" and shouting: "Put the weapon down". | The prince is shown aiming his SA80 rifle with yellow safety cap at a "hostage taker" and shouting: "Put the weapon down". |
| More training | More training |
| The prince will now spend four months at Bovington Camp in Dorset, training to become a troop commander in an armoured reconnaissance unit. | The prince will now spend four months at Bovington Camp in Dorset, training to become a troop commander in an armoured reconnaissance unit. |
| Cornet Wales, as he will be known, will start a troop leaders course, which Prince Harry has already completed. | Cornet Wales, as he will be known, will start a troop leaders course, which Prince Harry has already completed. |
| Prince William will be in charge of around a dozen soldiers who are equipped with four Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles. | Prince William will be in charge of around a dozen soldiers who are equipped with four Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles. |
| The "recce" unit is used to find out where the enemy is and how to get through the terrain ahead. | The "recce" unit is used to find out where the enemy is and how to get through the terrain ahead. |
| The regiment has seen operational duty with the United Nations and Nato in Bosnia and Kosovo. | The regiment has seen operational duty with the United Nations and Nato in Bosnia and Kosovo. |
| Unlike Prince Harry who will continue as a "career soldier", Prince William will go on to spend time with both the RAF and the Royal Navy on familiarisation attachments to prepare him for his future role. | Unlike Prince Harry who will continue as a "career soldier", Prince William will go on to spend time with both the RAF and the Royal Navy on familiarisation attachments to prepare him for his future role. |
| He will increasingly carry out public engagements in parallel to his military career. | He will increasingly carry out public engagements in parallel to his military career. |