Royal Twist as Prince George Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Could Face Mandatory National Service
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis could be required to undertake National Service if the Conservative Party wins the upcoming general election. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently unveiled plans to reintroduce mandatory service, and a spokesman for the party confirmed to The Telegraph that royal children would not be exempt.
Under these proposals, all 18-year-olds would be required to serve a period of mandatory service in either the armed forces or the public sector. About 30,000 young people from a pool of 700,000 would spend a year in one of the UK’s armed forces, working in areas like logistics, cybersecurity, procurement, or civil response operations, via Mirror.
For the remaining 670,000, the plan includes a year-long voluntary placement in the public sector. These placements involve working with critical local services such as the NHS, Fire Service, ambulance services, search and rescue, or local infrastructure for one weekend a month throughout the year, according to BBC reports.
The proposals would affect any young person turning 18, including the Cambridge children and other royal family members such as the young children of Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall, and Peter Phillips.
Announcing the proposals on social media shortly after confirming the election date for July 4, Rishi Sunak stated: “This bold new model will open up a world of opportunity. It will make sure young people in the U.K. get the same chance in life as their peers in allies like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and France — which have all recently introduced or announced new forms of national service.”
He continued, “Everyone will get the life-changing chance to learn from the best of the best – from the men and women of our Armed Forces, our inspirational NHS staff, or the fire service. Gaining skills for life in everything from cyber to leadership.”
While the proposals have sparked debate among voters, the British royal family has a long-standing history with the military. King Charles currently serves as the head of the armed forces and previously served in both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. His brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, also have military backgrounds. Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy for 22 years, including during the Falklands War, and Prince Edward spent three years as a Royal Marine while at university.
Both of King Charles’ sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have had successful military careers. William worked as a search and rescue pilot for the RAF in Wales, while Harry undertook overseas deployments with the British Army in Afghanistan.
The late Queen Elizabeth also made history as the first female member of the royal family to become a full-time member of the armed services, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a vehicle mechanic during World War II.
As the nation awaits the election results, the potential for a return to National Service looms, promising significant changes for all young Britons, including the royal family.
This bold new model will open up a world of opportunity.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 26, 2024
It will make sure young people in the UK get the same chance in life as their peers in allies like Sweden, Norway, Denmark and France – which have all recently introduced or announced new forms of national service.
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