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Prince William's last shift

Prince William will complete his final shift in his job as an air ambulance pilot Thursday as he gets ready to take on more extensive royal duties.

The heir to the British throne is working the night shift at the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where he has been flying medical crews to emergencies such as traffic accidents for about two years.

"As I hang up my flight suit, I am proud to have served with such an incredible team of people, who save lives across the region every day," he wrote in an exclusive story in the Eastern Daily Press, a newspaper that serves the community near the ambulance service's base at southern England's Cambridge airport.

The announcement closes a chapter for William, 35, who is leaving the skies to return to formal duties as Britain's future king. As the older generation of royals slows down, the younger members of the family are taking a greater number of official roles, such as foreign trips and other appearances.

The prince's move is also about location. William and his wife, the former Kate Middleton, will be spending less time in their Norfolk residence and be carrying out more duties in London, where their 4-year-old son, Prince George, is due to start school.

Despite William's change in role, he said what he has seen as an ambulance pilot changed his perspective.

"I have had experiences in this job I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that will add a valuable perspective to my royal work for decades to come," he said in January.



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