Prince William has revealed the work he has been doing to make sure that women feel safe, respected and valued in the military. The future head of the Armed Forces has also warned that standards are not yet being met. He spoke about his drive to improve inclusivity for women in the defence forces for the first time.
Fact-finding mission
For over a year, William has been working behind the scenes on a fact-finding mission. He has carried out private and public meetings with servicewomen of all ranks from the Royal Navy, RAF and Army as a priority, to help him learn about their experiences.
Through these conversations, William has heard how they faced inappropriate comments, rumours being spread if they turned down advances and intoxicated harassment in barracks. One junior female told him about 'women being used as commodities'.
Meetings with senior leaders
Following his investigation, William held meetings with senior leaders across the defence sector to discuss what is being done to address the concerns. Now, he is looking at a longer-term initiative.
Due to be published on Wednesday (November 11), William personally commissioned an article on the challenges facing women in the forces in his role as guest editor for a special edition of Country Life magazine. In it, he is said to be committed to improving the experiences of women serving across the Armed Forces.
William's statement
William, who trained at Sandhurst and later became an RAF search and rescue pilot, said: "We need to ensure our military culture is more inclusive of women.
"I want to play my part in making the military feel like the welcoming, open and professional place I enjoyed and make it feel like that for everyone.
"At the moment, I don't feel that we meet those standards and, as a former serving officer, I really mind it when those who wear the uniform now don't feel safe, respected or valued."
Servicewomen's experiences
Describing the meetings the prince conducted with servicewomen, the article states: "Servicewomen have told him about inappropriate comments, rumours being spread about those who turn down advances, late-night intoxicated harassment in barracks and, most worryingly, from one junior female, about women being used as commodities."
The article begins with a reference to Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in 2021. She had reported a sexual assault and months of unwanted attention prior to her death. It was found at an inquest into the 19-year-old's death that the Army's failure to take appropriate action 'more than minimally' contributed to her death.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, chief of the defence staff, told Country Life: "We recognise there is more to do to ensure every woman can serve, succeed and progress in an environment where they are respected and valued.
"We know the experience of women in our Armed Forces has not always been what it should be. Where behaviours and attitudes have fallen short of the standards we expect, we must be honest about that and continue to drive change."
