Prince William was seen taking a ride in a British tank after arriving at a Nato base in Estonia this morning to take part in a major military exercise.
Tapa Camp is just 90 miles from the Russian border and under two hours to drive.
Prince William, 42, who serves as Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian Regiment, took part in a trench warfare training exercise in what has been described as “Putin’s backyard”, as allied troops fired on an enemy position.
The future King wore full military gear, including a protective helmet and glasses, as he took a ride in a Challenger 2 tank to be briefed about the exercise, before switching to a Warrior infantry fighting vehicle to travel out to the field exercise.
Prince William was seen taking a ride in a British tank
Getty
Prince William was in the last of the three vehicles that arrived at the scene where troops from the Mercian battlegroup underwent a military exercise.
The first two Warrior tanks opened fire on the enemy base with machine guns on arrival.
William had the scene explained to him by Major McNeil during the sound of gunfire.
The prince was allowed to drive an Archer, a mobile artillery vehicle and one of the “next generation” wheeled artillery systems used by the British army to serve fast-moving ground forces.
Prince William had the scene explained to him by Major McNeil during the sound of gunfire
Getty
A royal aide said earlier that the prince was delighted to be “getting his hands dirty”.
They added that the visit was “about the Prince of Wales showing his support to Estonia as it manages its proximity to Russia while hosting Nato troops and welcoming Ukrainian refugees.”
Operation Cabrit is a major multi-national Nato exercise designed to demonstrate the organisation’s united commitment to collective security and defence.
During his day at Tapa Camp, William will meet Estonian troops and oversee an official handover ceremony between The Royal Dragoon Guards and the Mercian Regiment.
Prince William wore full military gear, including a protective helmet and glasses
Getty
The prince also spent time with the welfare team and visited the NAAFI shop and canteen, where he was seen playing pool and table football.
The country was the first to introduce legislation to seize frozen Russian assets and has championed tough sanctions on Russia.
Russia has been engaged in various hybrid attacks against Estonia, including GPS jamming, acts of sabotage, cyber-attacks, and removal of navigational buoys marking the border.
Diplomatic sources said William’s visit comes at a “crucial time” for reassuring Estonians of the UK’s commitment to their security and to Ukraine.
