Duke of Cambridge spends week with GCHQ
HRH The Duke of Cambridge has concluded a three week attachment to the United Kingdom's Security and Intelligence Agencies - SIS, MI5 and GCHQ.
The attachment comes as the three security services continue their vital work both at home and abroad to keep our people and our allies' safe.
During the Duke's assignment at GCHQ in Cheltenham, he spent time with those using cutting-edge technology, technical ingenuity and wide-ranging partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats.
After completing the attachment, the Duke of Cambridge said:
"Spending time inside our security and intelligence agencies, understanding more about the vital contribution they make to our national security, was a truly humbling experience.
"These agencies are full of people from everyday backgrounds doing the most extraordinary work to keep us safe.
"They work in secret, often not even able to tell their family and friends about the work they do or the stresses they face.
"They are driven by an unrivalled patriotism and dedication to upholding the values of this country.
"We all owe them deep gratitude for the difficult and dangerous work they do.”
David, GCHQ Head of Counter-Terrorism Operations said:
"Having the Duke of Cambridge spend time with our teams was an incredible opportunity. William worked exceptionally hard to embed himself in the team and comfortably held his own amongst some highly skilled analysts and operators.
"He asked some probing questions and demonstrated a real grasp of our mission. This was a rare opportunity to expose, in detail, the technical ingenuity and problem solving skills needed on a daily basis to help keep the UK safe."
The Duke's assignment began with a week at SIS - the Secret Intelligence Service – whose officers work secretly overseas, developing foreign contacts and gathering intelligence that helps to make the UK safer and more prosperous. During the week, HRH got to see first-hand how SIS help the UK identify and exploit opportunities as well as navigate risks to its national security, military effectiveness and economy from those who wish the UK harm.
His second week was spent at the Security Service - MI5 - where he worked alongside counter-terrorism teams to see how they conduct their investigations, including understanding the role of analysis and surveillance.
With the threat level for international terrorism in the UK set at SEVERE or above for the last five years, the Duke was keen to see first-hand the extraordinary work that staff across the Security and Intelligence Agencies do.
