Kate Middleton will be a military bride when she walks down the aisle on April 29. Prince William has expressed wishes to see the front lines of war, but is this even possible for a man who will one day be King? BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt looks at the history of the royals and their military service.


"I still have hope and faith and a real determination to go out there," Prince William declared in a recent interview. The focus of his desire is Afghanistan and a role on the front line. If his wish was granted, he'd be following in the footsteps of Prince Harry.

The younger brother served there, in secret, for two-and-a-half months in 2008. The BBC and other British media organizations agreed not to report his deployment to protect his safety. Harry was brought home early after it leaked out that he was in Helmand province and occasionally patrolling close to the Pakistan border.

But will William's dogged desire be realized? The public signs, so far, are not promising. The Chief of the Defence Staff, who is in charge of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, has gone on the record to say he didn't think the second-in-line to the throne was sufficiently trained and his feeling was, at present, William should not go.

Mscheewwwwww.

He don belle full now. Why he no go romance death.

Who cares.