Prince William guest-edits Country Life and tackles women's experiences in the army

Prince William has swapped royal duties for an editor's desk. On 11 November, Country Life, the weekly British magazine about the countryside and country living, publishes an issue he put together himself. The magazine calls it its biggest royal guest edition yet.

What happened?

The issue runs to almost 300 pages and took close to a year to make. William chose every topic "from start to finish", according to the magazine's features editor, Paula Minchin. It all began with a meeting at his office at Windsor, where he was very clear about what he wanted.

He was just as hands-on at the end. When the team went through the printer's proofs at Windsor Castle in October, it took about two hours, because he read everything word by word. He had also made handwritten notes on the changes he wanted.

Inside, he names his favourite landscape and his favourite painting. He also shows the gardens at Highgrove, his father's country home. And he explains how he wants to build sustainable housing on the Duchy of Cornwall, the estate he inherited in 2022 when he became Prince of Wales.

The magazine says the issue also shows his personal side: he likes open-water swimming, walking and time outdoors with his children, and he loves his dogs.

Why is everyone talking about it?

Because of one article. William asked for a piece on women in the armed forces, looking at past injustices and at what is being done so they feel safer, more respected and more valued.

It is the first time he has spoken publicly about improving conditions for women in defence. He has met women of all ranks in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. According to The Telegraph, they described inappropriate comments, rumours spread about women who turned down advances, and harassment by drunk colleagues late at night in barracks. One junior non-commissioned officer said women were treated like commodities.

"At the moment I don't think we meet those standards," he says in the issue, adding that it upsets him that people in uniform do not feel safe, respected or valued.

What's next?

William is a former serviceman and will one day be commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He has already met senior defence leaders to discuss what is being done, and to think about a longer-term initiative.

He is not the first royal to guest-edit the magazine. King Charles did it twice, for his 65th and 70th birthdays, and Queen Camilla and Princess Anne did it for their 70th birthdays.