A new chapter for Prince William

Prince William has got a new job.  The man who will be king has taken up a position with the East Anglian Air Ambulance and, as of September, will begin five months of training ahead of taking up a full time position at the start of 2015.

Prince William as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.  The second in line to the British throne takes up a new position with the East of England Air Ambulance Service in September 2014

The East of England Air Ambulance is a charity and covers the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  It has two helicopters and the Duke of Cambridge will be based at Cambridge Airport in his new job.  Pilots are employed by a separate company and William will be eligible for a salary of around £40,000 but Kensington Palace has said that the prince will be donating everything he earns to charity.

The tweet from the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service announcing Prince William is to join them

The prince will stay in his role for at least two years.  In the official announcement, Kensington Palace said that William is 'hugely excited and motivated' by his new job and sees it as a true form of public service.  It is reported that the prince, along with Kate and baby George, will now spend more time at Amner Hall in Norfolk, the country residence given to them for their personal use by the Queen.  

 A new chapter is opening in the lives of the Cambridge family as William takes on a new job

The Duke of Cambridge will still undertake royal duties - they will be fitted in around his working life - while the duchess will be closer to several of her charities, including the East of England Children's Hospice, when the family are staying in Norfolk.  The announcement comes a year after William left his role as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot based in Anglesey in Wales.  In the twelve months that have followed, he has taken a land management course in Cambridge to prepare him to run the Duchy of Cornwall when he is heir to the throne.  He's also carried out some very high profile royal engagements including the tour of Australia and New Zealand and his recent role, with Kate, at commemorations marking the start of World War One.  But today is another new chapter in the life of this future king.  It won't be without controversy as some argue he should be taking on more royal duties but it will give William another chance to do a job he sees as hugely worthwhile.