Prince William's secret visit to elite military unit revealed before Windsor ceremony

Prince William quietly carried out a classified military visit just hours before hosting a major royal engagement today.

According to the Court Circular, the 43-year-old heir to the throne made a low-key trip to a maritime special forces unit on Tuesday. 

The visit took him to the headquarters of the Special Boat Service (SBS), the Royal Navy’s elite equivalent of the SAS, which specializes in counter-terrorism and covert sea operations.

While no official details were released, Prince William’s connection to the SBS runs deep. In 2008, the future King joined the unit on a 10-day mission in the Caribbean, where he helped in operations tackling drug trafficking and piracy. 

A year later, he began his search-and-rescue pilot training with the Royal Air Force, later serving at RAF Valley in Anglesey.

Following his secret military stop, William returned to Windsor Castle to preside over an investiture ceremony, where he awarded MBEs to several distinguished Britons.

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