Prince William Rides in Tank with Troops in Estonia, Echoing Childhood Moment with Prince Harry

Prince William is in military mode during an official visit to Estonia.

On March 21, the Prince of Wales visited British troops based at the Tapa Camp during the second day of his first-ever trip to the Baltic state bordering Russia. William, 42, sported the camouflage fatigues reflective of his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Merican Regiment, an Army unit involved there, to hear about how the soldiers are securing NATO’s eastern flank as part of Operation Cabrit. 

The heir to the throne met with Estonian troops to hear about their experience training at the base, participated in a handover ceremony from the British Army’s Royal Dragoon Guards to the Merican Regiment to transfer authority at the camp and engaged in a field training. There, he rode in a Challenger 2 tank in a moment that called back to an informal military visit with his brother, Prince Harry, when they were both boys.

In 1989, a young Harry and William visited the Combermere Barracks in Windsor, England. The princes sported miniature military uniforms and demonstrated their best salutes from the top of a tank. The brothers were reportedly shown around the barracks by James Hewitt, the Life Guards officer who was romantically linked to their mother, Princess Diana, around that time. 

Prince William and Prince Harry both grew up to pursue careers in the military and began that track by enrolling at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. William joined the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry before pursuing an aerial career, first as a Search and Rescue pilot at RAF Anglesey in Wales and later as an Air Ambulance Pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance near Norfolk. 

Though he retired from that role in 2017 to take on royal responsibilities full-time, William remains closely connected to the British military today through several affiliations and appointments.

He is not the first family member to visit Estonia this year in a military capacity, as his Prince Edward visited the country for a similar two-day trip in January. William followed in his uncle Edward’s footsteps at the Tapa Camp, as the Duke of Edinburgh visited the hub in his royal role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Dragoon Guards.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

The Operation Cabrit activity that took Prince William to Estonia is the U.K.’s contribution to NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Estonia and Poland. The mission has increased significance amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

The British royals have shown staunch support for Ukraine since the war began in February 2022, and William put that passion into action when he hit the ground on Friday.

“Training alongside the Mercian Regiment in Estonia, honing vital skills for operations in extreme conditions. From field training to weapon systems operation, this deployment is key!” Prince William’s team wrote below photos of him in action on the social media accounts he shares with wife Kate Middleton.

“So brilliant to see the dedication and expertise of our troops in action.”