“The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales to be a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

Founded by Edward III in 1348, the Order of the Garter is the highest and the oldest British Order of Knighthood.
With his appointment, William has become the 1,000 Garter Knight. His father, Prince Charles was made a Knight in 1958 and his grandfather Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was appointed in 1947. However, Prince William will be officially installed as a Royal Royal Knight Companion of the Order Garter by the Queen during a private service at Windsor Castle in June.

Chopper trouble

Britain’s Defence Ministry has apologised for allowing Prince William to fly a 10 million pounds helicopter to visit family and friends during his RAF training.

Besides flying to his cousin’s stag party and to his girl friend Kate Middleton's house, the Prince flew over three Royal homes and to a wedding party in Northumberland.

The Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that it has acted with a “degree of naivety” in allowing him to make personal flights in a military helicopter.