Prince William has started a new job today—as an air ambulance pilot—and has used a televised interview with UK media outlets to make an astonishing announcement that he might continue having a full time job as a helicopter pilot for the rest of his working life, pouring a certain amount of cold water on the idea of being a “full-time” royal as he did so.
“There’s nothing to say I couldn’t do it for the rest of my life,” he said in a televised interview when asked about how long he planned to work for the air ambulance service. “I might be able to, and still balance the two. But obviously at some point there is probably going to be a lot more pressure and responsibility from the other side of my life.
“At the moment I’m juggling the two of them, and a young family. I’m enjoying it, and I like the challenge, but yes, inevitably down the line, things will probably become a little bit more difficult for me to do that. But while I’m still relatively young, I can manage the two jobs as best I can.”
Asked if he was simply delaying the inevitable moment when he would have to become a “full-time” royal, William responded, “The term ‘full-time royal role’ is bandied around quite a lot, and no-one actually really knows what that means, but I think I can still manage to do my commitments and my responsibilities as well as I can.
“The Queen is still very active and is still showing incredible leadership. My father is doing many, many engagements, as are the rest of the family, and so there’s a lot being done by the Royal family around the country. I hope to still be a part of that, and do as much as I can, but equally do something that I think is incredibly important and will prove me in good stead for the future.”
Asked what he was “trying to become,” William replied, “Just trying to be a good guy, trying to do what you can, trying be a decent individual, thoughtful. Qualities in people that you would want to be associated with.”
He described his new daughter Princess Charlotte as “a little joy of heaven,” spoke of his pride at the Duchess’s “amazing” mothering skills, and said Prince George was “a little monkey” in the interview.
