In a surprise announcement from Clarence House this morning, it has emerged that Prince William will not leave the military next year to become a full-time working Royal.

Prince William preparing for a flying mission

He will instead leave the Army and become a full-time member of the RAF’s Air, Sea Search and Rescue team, flying Sea King helicopters.

We understand he will serve for a minimum 30-36-month period, plus 18 months of training, totalling more than four years. He will be 30 or 31 when he finally hangs up his sword.

The work will involve hazardous rescue operations, winching people to safety from cliffs, ships and open seas in all weathers.

In a statement, Prince William said, “It has been a real privilege to have spent the past year understanding and experiencing all aspects of the British Armed Forces.

“I now want to build on the experience and training I have received to serve operationally — especially because, for good reasons, I was not able to deploy to Afghanistan this year with D Squadron of the Household Cavalry Regiment. The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realize how much I love flying.

“Joining Search and Rescue is a perfect opportunity for me to serve in the Forces operationally, while contributing to a vital part of the country’s emergency services.”

In the next few weeks he will become the first member of the Royal Family to train with the elite special forces regiment, the SAS. He will also spend time with the Special Boat Squadron, the sister regiment of the SAS, and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment.

It’s obvious that Prince William is not yet ready to resume civilian life and cut the chord with the military. Like Prince Harry he enjoys the rough and tumble of serving with the Armed Forces, but is frustrated he’s not able to join his regiment on the front lines of the two wars they are fighting.

The Air Sea Rescue mission seems an ideal — if hazardous — alternative.

The question of his marriage therefore hangs in the balance. A training period of 18 months accords with several broad hints released to the press that he won’t be marrying for that length of time.

However, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility for him to take a month’s leave from training next summer to accommodate a wedding and honeymoon.

Since Air-Sea Rescue is British-based, Kate could easily live with him in married quarters, whether in Cornwall or Scotland. In those circumstances, nobody could accuse the second-tier Wales’s of shirking their duty to the nation.

Otherwise, the prospect of a wedding mid-2010 is the next window of opportunity, with a very distant date at the end of his service as the last resort. I can’t believe Kate would be willing to wait that long.

Of course, the 18-months line may just have been spun to divert attention from a Christmas announcement.

As always, we shall have to wait and see.

Viscount Severn, the second child of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, was Christened today at Windsor in a very private ceremony.

The service took place in a private chapel at Windsor Castle.

Rt Rev David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, conducted the service. In attendance were James’s godparents Denise Poulton, Jeanye Irwin, Alastair Bruce, Duncan Bullivant and Tom Hill.

James Alexander Philip Theo is the eighth in line to the throne and the first male grandchild for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh since Prince Harry was born 23 years ago.

A Buckingham Palace press release gave minimal information about today’s Windsor Christening of Viscount Severn, the Earl and Countess of Wessex’s second child, now four months old.

Viscount Severn with his parents soon after his birth

“The Christening of Viscount Severn will take place at the private chapel at Windsor on 19 April 2008. ”

In a note for editors, the private nature of the occasion is stressed :

This is a private Christening. However, one official photograph, taken by Mr John Swannell, will be released to the media via Camera Press.

The Christening Gown worn by Viscount Severn is a hand-made replica of Queen Victoria’s daughter’s Christening Gown, which was worn at subsequent Royal Christenings and has now been preserved. It is the first time this gown has been worn by a member of the Royal Family and was commissioned by The Queen.

James Alexander Philip Theo, who has the title Viscount Severn and is the Queen’s eighth grandchild, became the first member of the Royal Family to wear a replica of the royal Christening robe.

The new robe was commissioned to preserve the frail original by the Queen herself, and was made by her personal assistant Angela Kelly and the in-house dressmaking team at Buckingham Palace.

Close family members of Edward and Sophie were expected to attend the event including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The couple’s second child was born by caesarean section at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey on December 17, weighing 6lb 2oz.

They have a four-year-old daughter, Lady Louise Windsor. James, the first male grandchild for the Queen and Prince Philip since the birth of Prince Harry 23 years ago, is eighth in line to the throne.

First pictures of Baby Wessex are now coming in.

Prince Edward, Sophie and Viscount Severn leave hospital

The couple will now travel back to Bagshot where young Wessex will be introduced to his family home.

All three looked very well.