Wills to be posted to Falklands Islands as search and rescue pilot

London, Feb 01 (ANI): In his first tour of duty as a search and rescue pilot, Britain's Prince William is set to be posted to the Falkland Islands.The 26-year-old, who is second in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, will spend up to three months on the South Atlantic islands when he completes his 18-month RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) course in 2009.

Prince William will be the first royal member of the armed forces to return to the islands on active duty since the war in 1982, reports the Telegraph.

His uncle, Prince Andrew, participated in the military operation to retake the islands while serving as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy on board HMS Invincible.

Details regarding the Prince's impending posting to the Falklands were revealed on the front page of the RAF News, an internal Ministry of Defence publication.

Posting to the Falklands would mean that Prince William would have to spend a prolonged period of time apart from his long-term girlfriend, Kate Middleton, 27, amid continued speculation of an imminent royal engagement.(ANI)