The Duke of Cambridge represented the Queen for the first time at the prestigious Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

William, who graduated from Sandhurst in 2006, spoke of the “immense privilege” that came with serving in one of “the finest military academies in the world” as he addressed the cadets.

On Friday, 169 officer cadets from the UK were on the parade ground in Camberley, Surrey, along with 25 cadets from 19 overseas countries as they celebrated the completion of a year’s intensive training.

The Sovereign’s Parade
It was William’s first time standing in for the Queen at the Sovereign’s Parade (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The duke, who served seven-and-a-half years in the military before leaving in 2013, encouraged the officer cadets to “go forward with confidence” and praised their “remarkable accomplishments”.

William, who wore his Blues and Royals coat, also presented a series of awards including the Sword of Honour and the Queen’s Medal.

During his seven-and-a-half years in the military, William served in the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF.

The Sovereign’s Parade
Some 169 officer cadets from the UK were on the parade ground in Camberley, Surrey (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Last year, Prince Harry attended the parade, 11 years after his graduation from Sandhurst.

It was during Harry’s visit to Sandhurst that Kensington Palace announced the date and location of his wedding with Meghan Markle.