Prince William wants women in armed forces to feel ‘safe and respected’

Prince William has declared he wants to play his “part” in helping women in Britain’s armed forces to feel “safe” and “respected”.

Prince William wants to help women in Britain’s armed forces to feel “safe” and “respected”.

The Prince of Wales – who served with the British Army’s Blues and Royals regiment before becoming a pilot in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) – has declared he hopes to play his “part” in making the military feel “welcoming” for everyone.

In his role as guest editor for Country Life magazine, William held meetings with female service personnel and commissioned an article addressing issues facing women in the armed services. In the piece, the royal writes: “We need to ensure our military culture is more inclusive of women.

“I want to play my part in making the military feel like the welcoming, open and professional place I enjoyed and make it feel like that for everyone.

“At the moment, I don’t feel that we meet those standards and, as a former serving officer, I really mind it when those who wear the uniform now don’t feel safe, respected or valued.”

The article added: “Servicewomen have told him [Prince William] about inappropriate comments, rumours being spread about those who turn down advances, late-night intoxicated harassment in barracks and, most worryingly, from one junior female, about women being used as commodities.”

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, chief of the defence staff, told Country Life magazine: “We recognise there is more to do to ensure every woman can serve, succeed and progress in an environment where they are respected and valued.

“We know the experience of women in our Armed Forces has not always been what it should be.

“Where behaviours and attitudes have fallen short of the standards we expect, we must be honest about that and continue to drive change.”

William spent six months working on the special issue of the magazine – which hits shelves on Wednesday (11.11.26) – and he also used the publication to throw his support behind UK pubs.

In the magazine, William revealed he enjoys visiting boozers and indulging in a pint of cider with ice and he was pictured sitting at the bar of a pub surrounded by punters.

The royal also declared more needs to be done to help Britain’s much-loved drinking venues keep their doors open, telling the publication: “We need to protect our pubs”.

The Prince of Wales follows in the footsteps of his father, King Charles, by guest-editing Country Life as the monarch previously worked on issues of the magazine to mark his 65th and 70th birthdays.

William’s aunt Anne, Princess Royal also celebrated her 70th birthday by taking charge of the magazine while his step-mother Queen Camilla became a guest editor when she turned 75 in 2022.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “The Prince of Wales has a longstanding passion for the countryside and the vital role it plays in the nation’s life, culture and wellbeing.

“His guest editorship of Country Life reflects a desire to celebrate the people, places and innovative stewardship helping to secure its future for generations to come.”