Our future King receives Her Majesty's commission

The Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 15 December 2006

Prince William passed out as a newly commissioned officer at a ceremony which The Queen referred to as a 'mile-stone day'.
His Royal Highness was amongst almost 500 cadets who took part in the parade, including 78 women and 39 cadets from overseas.
Her Majesty, who is Head of the Armed forces, was Reviewing Officer, as she had been at Prince Harry's passing out parade earlier in the year. The ceremony was also attended by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.Following the parade, Her Majesty made a speech congratulating the new officers and reflecting on the challenges which lay ahead for them:

For those who are to be commissioned today, and those who will shortly follow, a great deal will be expected of you. You must be courageous yet selfless; leaders yet carers; confident yet considerate.

After the ceremony, The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Princes of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall joined other officer cadets and their guests for lunch in Old College. 
Like his brother Prince Harry before him, Prince William will now join the Blues and Royals regiment within the Household Cavalry, as a Second Lieutenant. Princes William and Harry join a long line of members of the Royal family who have served in the Armed forces. Their father, The Prince of Wales, uncle, The Duke of York and grandfather, The Duke of Edinburgh, all had careers in the Navy. The Duke of Edinburgh was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese signed the surrender at the end of World War II, whilst The Duke of York served in the Falklands conflict as a pilot.The tradition of the Sovereign's Parade was begun by The Queen's father, King George VI, who acted as Reviewing Officer at the first parade at Sandhurst in 1948. The Queen has acted as the Reviewing Officer at Sandhurst in 1949, 1965, 1985 and 1991.