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Prince William graduates as a pilot
Britain's Prince William (L) smiles as he walks with his girlfriend Kate Middleton at RAF Cranwell, central England April 11, 2008.
Prince William graduated as a Royal Air Force pilot Friday after successfully completing an intensive flying course.
The prince, 25, received his wings from his father Prince Charles in a graduation ceremony at the RAF Cranwell air base in Lincolnshire.
A smiling Charles spoke to his son as he stuck on the wings badge and shook hands with him afterwards.
William, second in line to the throne, temporarily left his army officer role for a specially slimmed-down four-month RAF course, aimed at preparing him for his future duties as head of the armed forces when he becomes king.
He learnt how to fly propeller-powered planes and helicopters and is the fourth generation of British royals to become an RAF pilot.
The prince's girlfriend Kate Middleton was among his guests. Charles's second wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Lady Sarah McCorquodale -- the sister of William's mother Diana, princess of Wales -- also attended.
Air Chief Marshal Glenn Torpy told the graduates: "This is probably one of the most significant milestones in an aviator's career. It's something that not many people can do and you should be very proud of what you have done."
Middleton's appearance at William's graduation ceremony at Sandhurst military academy in December 2006 helped build the expectation that the couple, who have dated since 2003, when they were both students at St. Andrews University in Scotland, were headed for marriage.
An April 2007 report that the pair had split up seemed to pour cold water on the fevered speculation.
Their appearance together prompted bookmakers William Hill to cut their odds on a 2008 engagement from 2-1 to evens.
在圆满完成强化飞行训练课程后，威廉王子终于于上周五毕业，正式成为英国皇家空军的一名飞行员。
毕业典礼在林肯郡英国皇家空军克伦威尔空军基地举行，25岁的威廉王子接受了父亲查尔斯王储为他颁发的飞行徽章。
查尔斯王储笑着跟威廉讲话，同时为他别上徽章，之后又与他握手。
英国王位第二继承人威廉王子于四个月前暂离陆军军官一职，接受专门为其设计的英国皇家空军短期飞行训练，为其将来成为英国国王后担任三军统帅做准备。
经过四个月的飞行训练，威廉王子学会驾驶螺旋桨式飞机和直升飞机。他是英国王室中成为皇家空军飞行员的第四代成员。
威廉王子的女友凯特•米德尔顿当天也出席了他的毕业典礼，同时出席的王室成员包括查尔斯王储的第二任妻子、康沃尔公爵夫人卡米拉以及威廉王子的母亲、威尔士王妃戴安娜的姐姐莎拉•麦克科考黛尔。
空军上将格伦•托比在毕业典礼上致辞说：“这可能是飞行员职业生涯中最重要的里程碑之一。并不是很多人都能干这行，你们应该为自己取得的成绩感到骄傲。”
威廉王子与米德尔顿于2003年开始正式交往，当时两人还是苏格兰圣安德鲁大学的学生。2006年12月，威廉王子从桑德赫斯特军事学院毕业时，米德尔顿出现在他的毕业典礼上，这让外界对于两人即将结婚的猜测一时间迅速升温。
而去年4月有关两人分手的报道似乎给这不断升级的猜测泼了瓢冷水。
而上周五他们共同露面后，威廉•希尔博彩公司则马上将赌两人今年订婚的赔率从2比1减为1比1。
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