Royal youngsters, namely Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, might be looking at National Service in the near future, depending on whether the Conservative Party’s idea of reintroducing mandatory service moves forward. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently made it known that he has plans to reinstate National Service if the Conservative party is re-elected. A party spokesperson confirmed to The Telegraph that even the royal progeny would be expected to participate.
According to the proposition, all 18 year olds would have to commit to a period of compulsory service, whether it be in the public sector or the armed forces. Approximately 30,000 youths out of a probable 700,000 would be obligated to dedicate a year within one of the UK’s armed forces, taking up roles in fields such as procurement, logistics, civil response operations or cyber security.
As for the remaining 670,000 slots, young individuals would instead have to commit to a year-long voluntary position within the public sector. This implies they would work with essential local services like the NHS, Fire service, ambulance, search and rescue or local infrastructure, committing one weekend per month throughout the year, the BBC reported.
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Along with the Cambridge children, certain other royal siblings could be impacted by these potential changes. Youngsters of Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips may also be affected.
Upon announcing the proposals, Rush Sunak exclaimed to his followers: “This innovative new scheme presents a world of possibilities. It promises to provide the same opportunities to young people in the U.K. as their counterparts residing in allies like Sweden, Norway, Denmark and France – nations that have recently announced or introduced new models of national service.”
“Everyone will secure the transformative opportunity to learn from the best – our inspirational NHS staff, the men and women working in our Armed Forces or the fire service,” continued the PM. “Acquiring skills for life in areas ranging from cyber to leadership.”
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While voters remain divided over these proposals, it’s worth noting that the British royal family has a lengthy history with the military. King Charles is currently the figurehead of the armed forces after himself serving in both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976.
Moreover, his brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, have also spent time in the military, with Andrew having carried out active duties with the Royal Navy for 22 years including during the Falklands war. Edward, on the other hand, served as a Royal Marine for three years while he was in University.
More recently, both of the King’s sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have pursued successful military careers. William served as a search and rescue pilot for the RAF in Glasgow, while Harry completed overseas deployments with the British Army in Afghanistan.
The late Queen Elizabeth famously became the first female in the family to join the armed service full time, working as a vehicle mechanic for the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II.
