Prince William tackles military inclusivity issues

The Prince of Wales has revealed he is undertaking efforts to ensure women serving in the military feel safe, respected, and valued. Prince William stated that current standards are not being met within the defence forces. As a future head of the Armed Forces, he has been engaged in private and public meetings with servicewomen across the Royal Navy, RAF, and Army over the past year to understand their experiences firsthand.

These discussions have highlighted serious issues faced by servicewomen, including inappropriate comments, the spread of rumours when advances are rejected, and harassment while under the influence of alcohol in barracks. One junior servicewoman described instances where women were treated as "commodities", according to reports. The Prince has subsequently met with senior defence sector leaders to discuss these concerns and is exploring the development of a longer-term initiative to address them.

Guest Editing Country Life

Prince William guest-edited an edition of Country Life magazine, using the platform to commission an article detailing the challenges confronting women in the armed forces. In his editorial piece, he expressed his commitment to fostering a more inclusive military culture. He stated, "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." He added, "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."

Inquest and Defence Response

The article in Country Life referenced the death of Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who died in 2021. An inquest into the 19-year-old's death found that the Army's failure to act appropriately "more than minimally" contributed to her death. Gunner Beck had reported unwanted attention and a sexual assault prior to her death. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, chief of the defence staff, acknowledged the need for further action. He stated, "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."