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As the first-born child to the late Princess Diana and the Prince of Wales and second in line to the British throne, Prince Wiliiam has never been far from the public eye. Click through the gallery for a look back at every year of his life so far.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana leave St. Mary's Hospital in London with Prince William on June 22, 1982. A bulletin announced that the royal baby weighed 7 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces.
Prince William takes his first steps in public with his parents in the walled garden at Kensington Palace on December 14, 1983.
Accompanied by his nanny Barbara Barnes, Price William waves as he leaves St. Mary's Hospital after visiting his mother and his newborn brother, Prince Harry, on September 16, 1984.
From the balcony of Buckingham Palace, a young Prince William watches the Trooping of the Color in 1985 with Lady Gabriella Windsor, left, and Lady Zara Phillips.
Prince William waves from a carriage en route to the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson on July 23, 1986.
Wearing a regulation school uniform, Prince William waves to the press on his first day at Wetherby School on January 15, 1987.
In 1988, Prince Charles and Princess Diana visit Palma De Mallorca, Spain, with their two sons.
Prince William and Prince Harry ride bicycles with their parents in 1989 while on holiday in the Scilly Isles.
On a private beach in 1990, Prince William shovels sand onto his mother. Photos of the young prince with his adoring mother were common as media interest swelled.
Prince William and Prince Harry wave from the deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1991.
Princess Diana and Prince William wait for Prince Harry after attending the annual Easter Sunday church service in 1992 at St. Georges Chapel inside Windsor Castle.
Prince William grimaces after riding Splash Mountain at Disney World's Magic Kindom in Florida. He was with friends of the royal family on a three-day vacation in 1993.
Accompanied by Prince William, Princess Diana arrives at Wimbledon before the start of the women's singles final in 1994.
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Prince Charles attend a service commemorating VJ Day outside Buckingham Palace in August 1995. The event was in honor of the day Japan surrendered to Allied forces, effectively ending World War II.
Prince Charles and Prince Harry, at left, stand for anthems as Prince William, right, looks around during the Wales-Scotland game in the 1996 Five Nations rugby championship.
At age 15, Prince William and his brother Harry, 12, bow their heads after their mother's funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997. Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris that August.
Prince William receives flowers from an adoring crowd in Vancouver on March 24, 1998. He was on a weeklong vacation with his father and brother, though they also made time for official engagements.
Britain's Queen Mother joins Prince Charles and his sons during an occasion marking her 99th birthday at her London residence in 1999.
Prince William hammers a log while helping construct walkways in a remote village in Chile during his Raleigh International expedition in 2000.
In 2001, Prince William, left, and Prince Harry take part in an exhibition polo match in Gloucestershire, England.
The royal family stand vigil besides the Queen Mother's coffin at Westminster Hall on April 8, 2002. Prince William, right, stands alongside Prince Harry, Princess Anne and Sophie of Wessex.
A London officeworker licks a first-class stamp that was issued to mark Prince William's 21st birthday in 2003. Commemorative coins were also minted for the occassion.
Prince William makes his water polo debut for the Scottish national universities squad in the annual Celtic Nations tournament in 2004.
In 2005, Prince William graduates from St. Andrews University in Scotland with a degree in geography.
Queen Elizabeth glances up at her grandson, right, as she inspects the parade at the Royal Military Academy in 2006. Prince William graduated as an Army officer and later went on to receive his Royal Air Force pilot's wings
Prince William and Prince Harry speak on stage with Sir Elton John, far left, during a concert they put on to celebrate Princess Diana on July 1, 2007. The event fell on what would have been their mother's 46th birthday and marked 10 years since her death.
Prince William sports a beard for the first time in public at a Christmas Day church service in 2008. He was clean-shaven by early January.
Prince William walks with a group of homeless people during a 2009 hike with Centrepoint, the United Kingdom's largest youth charity for the homeless. William became the patron of the organization in 2005.
During his first official overseas visit, Prince William is welcomed to Sydney with a traditional smoke ceremony by local Aboriginal elder Uncle Max in 2010.
After their wedding service, Prince William kisses his wife, Kate Middleton, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011.
Prince William throws a foam javelin as his wife, now the Duchess of Cambridge, stands at his side during a visit to Nottingham, England, on June 13, 2012. The couple were in the city as part of Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee tour, marking the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge depart St. Mary's Hospital in London with their newborn son on July 23, 2013. Prince George was born a day earlier, weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces.
Prince George and his parents celebrate his first birthday at a butterfly exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London on July 2.
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- Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, has taken on a new role as an air ambulance pilot
- The duke previously worked as as a search and rescue pilot for the Royal Air Force
- Prince William is the first royal in direct line to the British throne to have taken a civilian job
- He will be based near his country home on the Queen's Sandringham Estate
(CNN) -- Britain's Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, is going back to work, taking on a new role as an air ambulance pilot.
The duke will start training in September, a year after leaving the Royal Air Force, where he flew search and rescue helicopters. He will have his first air ambulance shift in spring 2015.
It's the first time a royal who's in direct line to the throne has taken a civilian job. The East Anglian Air Ambulance is operated by a private company, Bond Air Services, but the Duke will donate his salary to charity.
He'll be based near his country home on the Queen's Sandringham Estate, which should allow him to remain a hands-on dad to his one-year-old heir Prince George.
A palace spokesman said Prince William was "hugely excited and motivated" by his new job.
"The Duke sees this as a true form of public service, helping people in their most difficult times," the spokesman said. "He regards his work with the RAF search and rescue force as having been an exceptional privilege and the Duke wanted to make his own contribution to the outstanding work of the air ambulance service."
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The high-profile royal would have had to weigh up the risks of taking on a civilian, as opposed to military, role. Public interest could affect not only his work, but potentially also that of medics and patients on board his aircraft. There is the heightened possibility of phone footage emerging of his rescues which could compromise privacy and security. There's also the risk of additional hoax calls.
These were not a major issues whilst Prince William was a military search and rescue pilot because he was working in a remote part of west Wales and over water. The two air ambulances in East Anglia are the most widely used in the UK and operate in a built-up area. Their usual landing spots include school playing fields; residential gardens; car parks; beaches and any open space deemed possible by the pilot.
William is currently on what officials have described as a "transitional year," focusing on his royal duties and charitable work. He always planned to return to work and was keen that it would involve flying.
Most air ambulance pilots have a military background like the Duke, who joined a squadron based at RAF Valley after qualifying as a search and rescue pilot in 2010. He undertook 156 search and rescue operations, resulting in 149 people being rescued. He is highly skilled.
Andrew Egerton Smith, chairman of the East Anglian Air Ambulance said: "Having the Duke of Cambridge as one of our pilots is marvelous news as he brings much experience to the charity after his successful career as a search and rescue pilot. We have an outstanding track record of attending people in their hour of need which is recognized and generously supported by our local communities."
William will spend the autumn and winter in training with the East Anglian Air Ambulance and, once qualified, will start co-piloting in the spring of next year. He will work from Cambridge and Norwich Airports doing both day and night shifts. The Duke is then expected to progress to the position of helicopter commander.
The palace said the pilot role would be the Duke's "primary occupation." Its statement added: "But his roster will take into account the duties and responsibilities he will continue to undertake on behalf of The Queen, both in the United Kingdom and overseas. The Duke will also continue his work with his patronages and with the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry."
The Duke has always been keen on a role beyond his royal duties whilst he is still second in line to the throne. This job will allow him to balance both positions whilst having his young family close-by.
The Cambridges' country house, Anmer Hall, is being renovated and is set in idyllic rural surroundings which affords the family more privacy than their official residence at Kensington Palace, London, which is constantly monitored by photographers.
