Prince William has been shadowing Britain’s real-life James Bonds.
Wills, 36, revealed yesterday he has spent the last three weeks on Her Majesty’s Secret Service – or rather his gran’s service.
During that time he watched top-secret missions being carried out against Islamic State terrorists.
The Duke of Cambridge had an intensive course with teams at MI6, the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service which in the film world employs 007, currently played by Daniel Craig.
He also had a stint with the Security Service MI5 and the listening outpost GCHQ.
Senior royal sources said: “Prince William was exposed to the full range of counter-terrorism operations, from working with the Islamist counter terror teams, the threat of the Far Right in Britain, the Real IRA and even our old Cold War enemies.
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“The experience gave him a unique insight into the threat to Britain and the British people.”
William also was able to get out in the field during practice ops.
The source revealed the duke did the placement because of his deep interest in counter-terrorism, the Middle East and the threat to Britain – currently rated severe.
Ex-RAF helicopter pilot Wills also sat in on top-level meetings concentrating on the threat from British terror suspects returning from the Middle East.
A senior intelligence source said: “William impressed everyone.
“He has a deep interest and understanding of the work done by all three agencies.”
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Meanwhile, Prince William's grandfather Prince Philip has been in the hot seat this week too - taking up the reins of one of his horse-drawn carriages.
The 97-year-old wrapped up warm for his real horse-powered jaunt in Windsor’s grounds yesterday, nearly three months after surrendering his driving licence.
He gave up motoring after his Land Rover was in collision with a little Kia car with three passengers, including a baby, near the family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
He later wrote a letter of apology to mother-of-two Emma Fairweather, 46, who broke her wrist in the crash.
The Duke, who was not prosecuted, voluntarily gave up his licence. But he’s not also about to quit carriage driving, in which he was accompanied by two aides yesterday.
He has represented Britain at world and European level but gave up competing in internationals at the age of 85.
