Key facts
- Prince William wrote that at present he does not feel the military meets the standards he expects.
- A Ministry of Defence survey cited in the article found 67% of service women faced unwanted sexualised behavior every year.
- The same survey found 30% of service women had considered leaving the armed forces because of such behavior.
- The article references Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in 2021.
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said behaviors and attitudes have fallen short of expected standards.
- The article describes military kit such as body armor being adapted for women rather than defaulting to male personnel.
Prince William called on November 10, 2026 for more to be done to ensure women in the armed forces are shown respect and protected from sexual harassment, in an article he produced as guest editor of Country Life magazine. He wrote that he wants to play his part in making the military feel welcoming, open and professional, and that at present he does not feel it meets those standards.
According to royal sources, the prince held private fact-finding meetings with service women of all ranks across the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. He was told about service women too often facing inappropriate comments, the threat of false rumors and sexual harassment, and one junior service woman described women as being used as "commodities."
The article cites a Ministry of Defence survey that found 67% of service women had faced unwanted "sexualised behaviour" every year and that 30% had considered leaving the armed forces because of such behavior. It also references the experiences of Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in 2021 after months of unwanted attention; she had reported a sexual assault and an inquest heard about a complaints system that failed to adequately respond.
The prince's article also emphasizes efforts to create a more positive culture and to prevent "outdated thinking and behaviour," and it shows how military kit such as body armor has been adapted for women. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of the defence staff, said he knew the experience of women in the armed forces had "not always been what it should be" and that where behaviors and attitudes have fallen short, the military must be honest and continue to drive change.