Prince William to take gap year: quits military but won't be increasing number of royal engagements Duke of Cambridge has completed his tour as RAF search and rescue pilot He is now looking to expand charity interests, particularly in conservation Prince is in a 'transitional' year and is considering 'public service' options He rescued 149 people during his time as a search and rescue pilot Head of the RAF has praised the Duke's work in the air force He received gifts from his colleagues when his last shift ended on Tuesday Prince William has completed his final duties as a search and rescue helicopter pilot with the RAF, Kensington Palace has today announced. The Duke of Cambridge has left his operational duties in the armed forces and is now looking to expand his charity work, particularly in the field of conservation and endangered species. William, who carried out his last operational shift on Tuesday, is to continue to carry out royal engagements but is not expected to increase his number of public duties. Sources have said the prince, who became a father in July, is in a 'transitional' year and is considering options for his 'public service'. Prince William (left, by a Sea King helicopter and, right, at the 60 Squadron Defence helicopter flying school at RAF Shawbury, in Shrewsbury) has completed his tour as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot The Duke was known as Flight Lieutenant Wales in the air force and was based at RAF Valley on Anglesey Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge present their baby George to the world for the very first time An announcement will be made about his decision within the next 12 months. Kensington Palace said in a statement: 'His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge is to leave operational service in the Armed Forces. He completes his Tour with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force at RAF Valley, Anglesey, after more than seven-and-a-half years of full-time military service. He will continue to support the work of the Queen and the Royal Family through a programme of official engagements, both at home and overseas, with The Duchess of Cambridge. The Duke will work closely over the next 12 months with the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. He will expand his work in the field of conservation, particularly in respect of endangered species. The Duke will continue to work with his charities on issues relating to children and young people, veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces. Prince William (second right) stands with his search and rescue crew, (from left to right) winchman Sergeant Ed Griffith, Flight Lieutenant Alan Connor and winch operator Sergeant Paul Jones, in 2011 The Duke is currently considering a number of options for public service, a further announcement on which will follow in due course. Prince William first attended Mrs Maynor's School before joining Wetherby School, in London, at the age of four in January 1987. He remained there until July 1990 when he left for Ludgrove School, in Berkshire. In 1995 he moved on to Eton College, where he took A-levels in geography, biology and history of art. After completing his studies at Eton he went on a gap year, during which time he visited Chile, Belize and Africa. Upon his return in 2001, he enrolled at the University of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland, graduating with a 2:1 in geography in 2005. His military career began when he followed his brother Prince Harry into Sandhurst more than seven years ago. He graduated from the college in December 2006 and was commissioned as an officer into the British Army. He went on to join Harry's regiment, the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2007. In September 2008 it was announced that William wanted to become a full time RAF search and rescue pilot. He began training in January 2009, later completing advanced helicopter flying training at the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury near Shrewsbury in Shropshire and undergoing the search and rescue conversion course at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales. He became a full-time operational search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley and has been serving with C Flight, 22 Squadron, on Anglesey since September 2010. Source: royal.gov.uk The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George are expected to move into their official residence at Kensington Palace within the next few weeks. William was expected to leave the military and return to London with Kate and baby son Prince George rather than opt for another tour of duty with the RAF. The Duke was known as Flight Lieutenant Wales in the air force and was based at RAF Valley on Anglesey. During his three-year tour he took part in 156 search and rescue operations, with 149 people being rescued and 1,300 flying hours. He would have discussed his military future, like all pilots, with a career manager known as a desk officer. But as William will one day be king, his future is dictated to a large degree and he has to prepare himself for that role. William started his military career at Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Household Cavalry in December 2006. He became a Lieutenant in The Blues and Royals but eventually transferred his commission to the Royal Air Force after it was made clear that because of his royal role, he would never be allowed to serve in a warzone. In January 2009 he started training to become a Search and Rescue pilot, figuring that it was the nearest he would come to be being on the frontline. Since January 2010 he has been based at isolated RAF Valley in North Wales and has revelled the relative normality and anonymity his role brought both himself and his wife. According to the Ministry of Defence, the prince finished his last "uneventful" shift at 9.30am on Tuesday morning. Afterwards he was presented with a small selection of gifts from his fellow SAR aviators, including a plinth-mounted control stick. Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, Chief of the Air Staff, commented: "Throughout his tour his airmanship, often in the most demanding of conditions, has contributed directly to saving lives in the mountains of North Wales and from the ravages of the Irish Sea. He has earned the respect of all who have worked with him as a highly professional and competent pilot. The decision might have been taken reluctantly as the Duke spoke movingly about his time in Wales in a speech at a country show on Anglesey last month. William said: 'This island has been our first home together, and it will always be an immensely special place for us both. Catherine and I look forward to returning again and again over the coming years with our family. With the birth of George in July, the Cambridges are now a family unit and will soon move into their refurbished Kensington Palace apartment. It will be their main home but the royal couple are also expected to move into their country retreat, Anmer Hall, on the Queen's private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, later this year. The head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, praised the Duke's work in the air force. Sir Andrew, Chief of the Air Staff, said: 'Flight Lieutenant Wales has been an integral part of the Royal Air Force's Search and Rescue Force, as a Sea King pilot on No. 22 Squadron, based at Royal Air Force Valley for the past three years. Throughout his tour his airmanship, often in the most demanding of conditions, has contributed directly to saving lives in the mountains of North Wales and from the ravages of the Irish Sea. The Duke is currently considering a number of options for public service, a further announcement on which will follow in due course Kensington Palace An RAF spokesman said William had an uneventful final 24-hour shift which ended on Tuesday morning. He said: 'They conducted a routine training flight, but thankfully, there were no incidents requiring their services across north Wales or the Irish Sea.' William received gifts from his colleagues when his last shift ended including a plinth-mounted cyclic control stick top, presented by AgustaWestland shift engineering manager Stephen Sedgwick. William is expected to move into Kensington Palace (pictured) with Kate and their baby son Prince George in the next few weeks How Prince William continued his family's tradition of serving in the military Prince William (pictured flight training at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, in 2008) will one day be the head of the armed forces The Duke of Cambridge's military career began when he followed his brother Prince Harry into Sandhurst more than seven years ago. By signing up, the Duke, who will one day be head of the armed forces, was carrying on the family tradition of serving in the military. He also became the most senior royal in recent memory to attend the college. At the age of 23, he commenced 44 weeks of training at the royal military academy in Camberley, Surrey, where the course is designed to push new recruits to the brink of exhaustion and shape cadets into Army officers. His passing-out parade was attended by the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and his then girlfriend Kate Middleton. He received his RAF wings from his father at RAF Cranwell in April 2008 after completing an intensive 12-week flying course, becoming the fourth successive generation of the monarchy to become an RAF pilot in the process. Shortly after he made a flying visit to RAF detachments at Kandahar Air Base, in Afghanistan, where he met frontline troops. William has always insisted he wants to be able to fight in war zones, despite being a future king, but he has yet to achieve his ambition, unlike his brother who has completed two deployments in Afghanistan. Earlier this year Harry said: 'I think there is a bit of jealousy, not just the fact that I get to fly this, but obviously he'd love to be out here. And to be honest with you, I don't see why he couldn't.' 'The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realise how much I love flying,' he revealed. The Duke of Cambridge at his passing out parade at Sandhurst in December 2006 'Flight Lieutenant Wales' became a full-time operational search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley - albeit with time off for royal appearances - and has been serving with C Flight, 22 Squadron, on Anglesey since September 2010. During that time he has carried out emergency missions in a Sea King helicopter to rescue stranded climbers and stricken vessels. His first rescue as a fully operational pilot was in October 2010, helping a man who fell seriously ill while working on a gas rig in Morecambe Bay. Princes William and Harry at their military helicopter training course base at RAF Shawbury, Shrewsbury, in 2009 The Duke, who qualified as an operational captain in 2012, giving him overall control of his helicopter, has spoken of his 'calling' to save lives. During February and March last year, the Duke spent more than six weeks flying search and rescue missions in the Falkland Islands, but his deployment caused a diplomatic row with Argentina. William holds several honorary military appointments. He was made Royal Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2011 and wore the regiment's red tunic at his wedding. He is also Commodore-in-Chief of Scotland and Commodore-in-Chief of Submarines and Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Coningsby near Lincoln.