Prince William is back in his military fatigues!
The Prince of Wales visited British troops stationed in Estonia on Friday, March 21, in an effort to emphasize the country’s support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) operations in the region.
William visited the Tapa military camp, located just over 120 miles from Estonia’s border with Russia. The Prince of Wales was photographed speaking to troops, inspecting military vehicles and even riding on a tank while dressed in fatigues.
The trip was the heir to the throne’s first to the country. He visited with the Mercian Regiment, the group of soldiers he leads as Commander-in-Chief. Approximately 900 British troops are stationed at the camp.
Prince Harry’s Military Career: From Enlistment to Invictus Games
William also visited the Freedom School, which supports students in Tallinn. “It’s been a very difficult few years for you guys,” he said during the visit, according to Vanity Fair. “Everyone sees that. What I love is the Ukrainian resilience is everywhere. You are all very smiley and very strong and very spiritual people. And honestly, that comes across everywhere.”
The Prince of Wales served in the UK military for nearly eight years full-time after he graduated from the University of St. Andrews and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was commissioned as a British Army officer in December 2006, and later joined the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a second lieutenant.
In May 2024, King Charles passed the Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to his oldest son in a somewhat controversial move that was seen as a slight against William’s brother, Prince Harry. Photographs taken at the Army Aviation Center at the time showed the duo smiling hand-in-hand as William accepted the title.
It’s believed that Harry would have received the honor instead if he and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, had not stepped back from senior royal duties in March 2020 and moved to the United States.
Royal expert Christopher Andersen blasted the decision in May 2024.
Prince William Through the Years: His Royal Life in Photos
“All he wants to do is have some sort of part-time role, take up some of the slack here now that both the King and the Princess of Wales are battling cancer,” he told Us Weekly at the time. “They do not want to have anything to do with Harry or Meghan, and it bothers me to see this because it seems such a missed opportunity for them to use this crisis.”
He continued, “The royal family is very good at exiling people and saying, you’re dead to me and I’m afraid that’s what’s happening.”
