THE PRINCE of Wales has paid a visit to a North Yorkshire army college, to meet junior soldiers embarking on the first stage of their career.

The royal visitor was given a tour of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, which is the only junior entry training establishment in the British Army, training teenagers aged between 16 and 17.

The young recruits performed sports shows for Prince Charles at the college, where facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, an indoor climbing wall, tennis, badminton, squash courts and football, rugby and hockey pitches and indoor and outdoor shooting ranges.

Throughout their time on the course, junior soldiers will deploy on exercises for anything from 24 hours up to two weeks before their final exercise.

They also complete their Duke of Edinburgh award whilst at the college and are enrolled on to their individual apprenticeship programmes that will continue in the next phase of their training.

Captain Lou James, the Officer Commanding of Fox Company which is responsible for the physical development of the trainees, said the visit had left the young soldiers absolutely buzzing as they had been rehearsing for the visit for several days.

“Today has been fantastic. The junior soldiers are here for a year so to see His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales was a real privilege.

“The message the visit sends is that the Royal Family are minded to find out what we do here at the college which is very rewarding but it also shows they have a deep feeling for the military as a whole.”