Prince William Training With The Special Forces In The Caribbean

November 21, 2008 8:26 a.m. EST

London, England (BANG) - Britain's Prince William is currently in the Caribbean, where he is scheduled to take part in a secret training session with the Special Forces.

The 26-year-old royal will spend 10 days with the Special Boat Service (SBS) in the elite exercise which is part of an attempt to combat the region's drug trafficking and piracy problems.

William reportedly flew to the region on Sunday to prepare for the mission. The exercise - which is to prepare William for his future role as Head of the Armed Forces - is the first time a member of the royal family has worked alongside the special forces.

A military source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "William will not face a conflict situation. It's a training mission, not an operational one. It's a first for the royals and is only possible because he's a trained soldier."

This is not the first time the prince has undergone training in the Caribbean. Earlier this year, he spent several weeks with the Royal Navy patrolling the region.