After more than seven years of service, the Duke of Cambridge will be leaving his job with the British Armed Forces. An official announcement issued by Kensington Palace says that the Duke, or Prince William as he’s more commonly known, will instead turn his attention to royal obligations and charity work, working closely with his wife, Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, and his brother, Prince Harry.
According to the Palace, William will focus on expanding his work with conservation projects, particularly those that deal with endangered species and fighting the illegal wildlife trade. The future king has already started working on these projects, filming a public service announcement on Thursday for conservation non-profit WildAid along with David Beckham, and will be attending the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Royal Society in London on Thursday evening with his wife.
A graduate of St. Andrew’s University in Scotland, William had been with the military since 2006, first as an officer cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, then as lieutenant in The Blues and Royals, a cavalry regiment in the British army. In 2009, he began his training with the Royal Air Force and under the title Flight Lieutenant Wales has been working as a search-and-rescue pilot since 2010. His last day with RAF was Tuesday.
The BBC reports that royal officials have dubbed the next year as a “transitional” period for William who, along with Catherine, became a parent on July 22 to Prince George. The royal couple and their young prince have been living with Catherine’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton in their Berkshire home since shortly after the baby’s birth. The palace’s announcement also stated that William, Catherine and George will be moving into their official residence at Kensington Palace within a few weeks.
[BBC]