Security fit for a king
2006-01-09 15:32
London - Britain's Prince William, who has started an officer cadet course at Sandhurst military academy near London, is being protected by unprecedented security estimated to cost £2m, press reports said on Monday.
The 23-year-old Prince, who is second-in-line to the British throne, arrived at Sandhurst on Sunday to start the 44-week course.
With his younger brother, Prince Harry, already in the midst of cadet training at the academy, the army was determined to make the elite academy as secure as never before.
The report follows acute embarrassment for the army top brass after the Sun newspaper claimed last June that a reporter, disguised as a delivery man, had gained access to Harry's room while allegedly carrying a fake bomb.
According to the Sun newspaper, two teams from the Gurkha crack regiment will be on a 24-hour alert to guard William, 23, and 21- year-old Harry.
Their duties would include guarding the end of each corridor where the princes will sleep.
An extra unit of ministry of defence police had also been drafted in to guard entrances and patrol the perimeter with dogs. Extra fences have been erected.
For the first time in its history, the academy would host two teams of royal protection officers.
Staff had been told to watch for strangers and personnel warned that "heads will roll if serious lapses occur", said the Sun. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA