Prince William may follow tradition of joining military

LONDON – Prince William hinted strongly on Saturday that he will join the armed forces when he graduates from university.

William, second in line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, praised British soldiers for risking their lives for their country and said he would be proud to do the same.

“I haven’t really ruled anything out, but a career in the armed forces would be the best thing at the moment because it would be lovely to recognize all the hard work that the armed forces are doing,” the 21-year-old said at Prince Charles’ Duchy Home Farm in Gloucestershire.

“It is a risky business, but there’s a lot of guys out there risking their lives,” he said

A stint in the armed forces after studies is traditional for male royals, but there have been rumors in the media that William, who has just finished his third year of a four-year geography degree at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland, did not see his future in the military.

The young prince is reportedly keener to work in farming, but he said Saturday that joining the armed forces “would be a very important thing to do.”

As king, William would be head of the armed forces. His father joined the Royal Navy after completing his studies and trained as a pilot.