William may be given pilot role in Yorkshire

PRINCE William could serve with the RAF in Leconfield, near Beverley, when he completes his pilot training.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Apr 2010, 01:26 BST
Updated 3rd Apr 2010, 01:27 BST

The second in line to the throne is scheduled to finish his training as an RAF search-and-rescue helicopter pilot in September.

An announcement is expected later this month about which of the six RAF helicopter search and rescue stations William will be assigned to in his role as a flight lieutenant.

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The sites under consideration also include Boulmer, Northumberland; Lossiemouth (Moray); Chivenor (Devon); Valley (Anglesey) and Wattisham in Suffolk.

If the Prince is stationed in Anglesey he may be called to incidents in Northern Ireland – and become the first member of the Royal Family to serve there since the outbreak of the Troubles in the 1960s.

A St James's Palace spokesman said: "Prince William, once he is a fully operational pilot, will go wherever his duties send him."

William's father Charles was left devastated when his great-uncle and mentor Earl Mountbatten was killed by the IRA in 1979 while on holiday in the Republic of Ireland.

Related topics:Prince WilliamRAFYorkshirePrinceNorthumberland