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Drug runners beware: Prince William will soon be on your tail!

The 25-year-old starts a two-month crash course with the Royal Navy on Monday that will send him patrolling the Caribbean Sea onboard the frigate HMS Iron Duke...

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Prince William was forced to buy his crewmates a round of beers after he failed to "drop anchor" at the first attempt during a Navy exercise.

On only his second day in the Royal Navy the 25-year-old Prince was asked to wield a sledgehammer to release a cable attached to an anchor on HMS Hindostan, a training ship, at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon.

Using all his polo skills, William tapped the metal release mechanism – and groaned as nothing happened!

Looking somewhat nervous and embarrassed, he tried again and 30 meters of cable and the anchor slipped effortlessly into the River Dart.

"That's a crate of beer." William told reporters.

Petty Officer Wayne "Rats" Rattenbury explained it was a Naval tradition for those who had failed at the first go to buy their crewmembers drinks. "It could have been worse – 16 blows is the worst ever," he said...

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Originally posted by Enssantor:
So let me get this straight: the Prince is with the RAF, but just serving on joint duty aboard an RN warship? Just wondering if it was a similar arrangement to the Canadian Forces where Aircom Sea King pilots operated from Marcom warships.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20203473,00.html

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Drug runners beware: Prince William will soon be on your tail!

The 25-year-old starts a two-month crash course with the Royal Navy on Monday that will send him patrolling the Caribbean Sea onboard the frigate HMS Iron Duke...

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Originally posted by Bladensburg:
He is a special case somewhat - his first commission is after all in the RHG/D the RAF and RN appointments are really a form of "local rank" to allow him to wear their uniform while he's "seeing practice".
As for your other question RAF and RN pilots regularly exchange as part of Joint Force Helicopter and JF Harrier because the Gov't won't pay for both services to have sufficient airframe. They remain titled and badges as part of their original service though, I suspect that attempting to go unified of the Canadian model would lead to just about everybody eligible PVR-ing.

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Defence Ministry says Prince William's ship has made major cocaine bust

LONDON - The Royal Navy ship on which Prince William is serving has made a major cocaine bust.


The British Defence Ministry says HMS Iron Duke intercepted a speedboat northeast of Barbados on Saturday.


U.S. Coast Guard officials working on the British frigate boarded the speedboat and found 45 bales of cocaine weighing 900 kilograms...