LONDON — Prince William will begin taking flying lessons next week at the start of a four-month assignment with the Royal Air Force, the military announced Friday.
The prince will begin his course on Monday with about 10 other students at the RAF Cranwell base, the air force said. He will be known as Flying Officer William Wales, and will train on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
“During his time with us, Flying Officer Wales will be realizing a personal ambition to learn how to fly and this will be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the Royal Air Force,” said Nick Seward, commander of the flying school.
William, 25, is following in the footsteps of his father, Prince Charles, in serving with all three branches of the armed forces. The British monarch is a symbolic head of the forces, and William is second in line to the throne, behind his father.
Prince William graduated from Sandhurst military academy in December 2006 and has spent the last year as a second lieutenant in the army’s Blues and Royals cavalry regiment.
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