Prince William was in Estonia for two days. I was surprised by how little news he made outside of the most devoted royalist media, and even then, the coverage was almost entirely rote. “William did this, yawn.” What’s crazy is that this trip was actually important from an optics standpoint. Russia is still waging war against Ukraine, and William was just a hundred miles or so from Estonia’s border with Russia. The whole reason he went to Estonia was to oversee the handover of British troops on NATO’s northeastern flank – the Royal Dragoon Guards handed over their base to the Mercian Regiment (William is colonel-in-chief). William played some dress-up games and took a short ride in a tank, then he played pool and foosball with the men. Instead of actually emphasizing the political sensitivities around Russia and NATO, they just let William play dress up and play pool. Just as well, honestly.
During his second day of engagements in Estonia, William spoke to soldiers about what it was like to be deployed in the country, saying: “It must focus the mind a little bit coming out here, knowing what’s going on the rest of the world, the context.
And in fact, the Russian border is only a few hundred miles from here. It does feel like it’s a bit more of an operational environment rather than just training.”During his second day of engagements in Estonia, William took part in an exercise where he joined a convoy of Warrior vehicles that opened fire on an enemy trench with machineguns, before throwing in smoke grenades and then entering on foot to capture a “high-value target”. Speaking to soldiers, William said that the Challenger 2 tank “packs quite a punch”.
“I’ve probably churned up quite a lot of the mud here in the Challenger 2 and the Warrior, I made a bit more of a mess. We were saying it’s quite a useful exercise in itself, just viewing what’s gone on in Ukraine, seeing all the kinds of terrain they’re operating in and understanding the pros and cons of what’s gone on before. It’s quite a lot of things to be thinking about while you’re operating out here and does focus the mind a little bit . . . what the challenges are coming up”.
Staff Sergeant Amy-Jane Hale, in charge of welfare across Operation Cabrit in Estonia and Poland, welcomed the Prince to the welfare area at Tapa camp. The Prince appeared surprised to learn that Hale was the one welfare officer on the base. “One?” he said. When the Prince asked Hale what she would wish for that would allow her to be more effective if she could “wave a magic wand” she said another welfare worker to make the job less lonely.
In the cinema room, the Prince asked whether they got to watch the latest films. When he was told that Bridget Jones was due to arrive soon, he said: “Oh that’s pretty good, not bad.” However, when he was told there was no fridge, he said: “You’re joking? You do need a fridge. I’m definitely getting you a fridge.”
It will be interesting to see if there’s any follow-up – do you think William will actually send a fridge to Estonia? Would he actually demand a second wellness officer at the outpost? We’ll probably never know.
Incidentally, some people found it odd that William would be in Estonia for two days and his trip coincided with King Charles and Queen Camilla’s multi-day visit to Northern Ireland. The thing is… all of the Windsors move quietly whenever they’re going to NI. They don’t announce anything, they just show up with the royal rota in tow. So, it’s likely William didn’t even know that his father was going to be out of England too.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- The Prince of Wales meeting Estonian troops at Tapa Camp and thank them for their support they have provided to the British army in Estonia on the second day of his visit to Estonia Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Tapa, Estonia When: 21 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales, Colonel-in-Chief, Mercian Regiment attends a handover ceremony between the Royal Dragoon Guards and the Mercian Regiment to highlight a transfer of authority at Tapa Camp. on the second day of his visit to Estonia Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Tapa, Estonia When: 21 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales meet Estonian troops at Tapa Camp and thank them for their support they have provided to the British army in Estonia on the second day of his visit to Estonia Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Tapa, Estonia When: 21 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales (left), Colonel-in-Chief, Mercian Regiment during his visit to the training area at Tapa Camp, to hear how the Mercians are using different weapon systems and learning new training and operating techniques on the second day of his visit to Estonia Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Tapa, Estonia When: 21 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince of Wales, Colonel-in-Chief, Mercian Regiment, playing table football with soldiers as he visits the the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) shop and canteen at Tapa Camp on the second day of his visit to Estonia Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Tapa, Estonia When: 21 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
If it’s a show of support for NATO, especially those countries on Putin’s wish list, I’m okay with that—William playing foosball seems to be pretty harmless (and about par for the course).
yeah, William was probably clueless but who cares, this WAS an important display.
They may not have known each other’s schedules, but surely the government knows when and where each royal will be? Buckingham Palace may not have advised Kensington Palace, but both would have had to advise the government they would be out of country, no? So it would be the government’s job to be sure one didn’t “overshadow” (heh, heh, the term referencing these two cracks me up) the other?
And this Estonia trip was announced. I can’t remember how far back but definitely at least a few weeks. So Charles at would have known the dates coincided beforehand.
Go shave that beard off willism. He has that braying laughter
😂
He looks like Donkey from the Shrek films.
Bray Willie! Bray some more!
His looks have tanked.
2nd photo made me think of Prince Michael of Kent
The Willionaire Slumlord wearing more chocolate medal ribbons than the actual soldiers guarding the eastern NATO border to Russia. Aren’t these people ashamed that they’re so out of touch with reality?
Bulliam the Incandescent listening and learning, as if he’d be able to do anything substantial in case the troops are being deployed to Ukraine eventually — the way Macron and the rest of the European NATO countries are considering to create a deterrence force.
If Harry’s brother was serious about getting a fridge to that particular camp, he’d left the money for it there. He can’t just send one from the UK, as they use different electrical plugs to the rest of Europe — three-pronged vs the European type F two prongs.
Somebody should tell him that he can buy one here, we have enough electronics and home appliances stores, no need to send anything here
Sounds like too much hard work for him to find a shop in Tallinn. And where’s the photo-op in that?
The royal visits to Northern Ireland are never usually announced in advance because of security concerns
He is shocked that they have one welfare officer, but is going to send them one fridge.
He should send a fridge since he said he would. Not sure he can do anything about an additional mental health worker? He could advocate for one but not sure what that would do? As a show of support, the trip was fine? Light-weight yes but a show of support for Ukraine and Estonia all the same.
Photo ops with the real soldiers. You would think the family jewels would be safe there with all those soldiers but nope got his hands there for protection. Harry does more for military soldiers and veterans than sending a refrigerator he actually helps them and their families.
He needed photo ops with soldiers and tanks after ones with two different Estonian childrens plushie toys, one major front page was about Sipsik meeting him and another was about Lotte doing the same.
Not sure what these photo-ops are doing for the morale of Estonians and frontline soldiers. Did his presence there boost the confidence of Estonians?
It might boost the Estonians if they don’t understand how the monarchy actually works.
William is such a dull person.
Would love to see Will serve on the frontline. After all, it’s only a couple of hundred of kilometres away and he must be sick of training and never being operational.
So c’mon Willie, join your troops and lead by example with your Challenger 2 mudlark – HAHA WHAT A BLAST – and show what a true Colonel-In-Chief does.
Because this weekend photo-op is just another game of toy soldiers for Willie in Estonia. 🙄
This! But we all know he would mess himself if that ever happened. Everything is for optics with this loser.
He said focus the mind on both days. That man should be called one phrase or one though Willy.
Only Peg could make one of the sexiest uniform/hat military uniforms look so bad.. that hat is just wrong 🫣.
Well at least it is something. He doesn’t have the depth of commitment nor the knowledge but it IS something. With all his money he could easily make that fridge and a few other things happen and I hope he follows through.
The world needs ALL the acts of decency right now.
I’ll give him this much – it was the right call for William to go here so close to Russia, and he’s trying his best to “hang out” and have fun in his make-believe soldier outfit.
Do I think he’s going to personally buy them a fridge? No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if instead of using his own money, he made a call and had the taxpayers spring for one and then take credit for it.
Does anybody know whether he or his missus ever donated towards a cancer charity or organisation last year or this? Liz Hatton ‘s mum set up a just giving page on memory of her daughter and raised £100k towards a very rare cancer. They could have matched this donation easily to help other children. Did they? SMH they do so very little, turn up empty handed to food banks. Comic Relief has just raised £32 million. Why doesn’t Will organise a charity football match and either play in it or be manager and get Beckham on side to help him. He could have done something HIMSELF to raise money for Comic Relief.
It’ll be interesting to see how they navigate this because England obviously has to go all in on NATO, but they also need to suck up to Trump, and the royals are clearly part of that equation.
The pampered prince is horrified that a military base has no fridge. They’re training for war, Peg. Having a fridge is the least of their worries.
I don’t mind this as a gesture. All he has to do is tell one of his staff to liaise with the base about buying a fridge locally (nobody ships a fridge, do they?) and then reimburse them. The base might be out some petty cash until the reimbursement happens.
It’s not a good look for a wealthy prince to breeze in, play with the war equipment, express shock at the lack of a refrigerator, and then breeze back out to his luxurious lifestyle of refrigerators and cold beers. You know he’s not gonna follow through on this.
Eh, they have a fridge. It’s the cinema room that doesn’t have one.
That “beard” will never not be ugly.
Willy SAYS he’s going to send a fridge.
Kate SAYS she’s going to send someone her plum jam recipe…
But do they actually DO it?? Or is saying it meant to be enough?
For the past decade it has been enough just to be “keen” to do something, eventually, in the far, far far off day when they are King or Queen. So maybe it’s enough to be keen at that moment in time to talk about getting a fridge? After all didn’t a previous PoW say “something must be done” for the impoverished Welsh during a visit? A sound bite but nothing definite planned? Sort of that would be nice but not a promise? Fridge on the way, is it?
Will he buy ONE fridge for the forces? Maybe. Prince Harry would provide 10,000 fridges and even more help through charities he’s created an/or worked with. William is pathetic. He may send one ice cube in a cup, which will melt long before it reaches Estonia. William is not merely an underperformer and a dolt, he is pitifully unaware of what his actual role SHOULD BE as the next king of England. I hate Charles, but he could teach William A LOT about being a king, if William would only listen (he won’t) and if Charles cared enough (he doesn’t).
That “beard” makes him look like Homer Simpson.
I was in Estonia. In July some days are still cold. On one of my outings, i was told the apartments were all built with balconies. Because, the temperature is so cold most months of the year, the apartments have small or no refrigerators as the balconies are used to put the perishables there. It saves on electricity.