The Royals wade in! William and Harry chip in with the flood effort after claims Queen criticised Government response to the disaster
- Princes make unannounced visit to Datchet, near Windsor Castle to help with effort to lay sandbags
- They helped Household Cavalry unload sandbags from military trucks and waded through water
- Queen is reported to have criticised the Government's response to the disaster which has left thousands flooded
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Princes William and Harry today joined the flood relief effort by helping soldiers to lay sandbags in Datchet.
The brothers secretly joined members of Harry's Household Cavalry regiment to shore up the defences just a stone's throw from the Queen's residence, Windsor Castle.
Their trip to the front line of the crisis is reportedly the second intervention into the flooding crisis by the Royal Family, after the monarch apparently criticised the Government's response to the disaster.
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To me Harry! Prince William catches a sandbag from his younger brother as the royals help with the flood relief effort in Datchet
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Teamwork: Princes William and Harry were knee deep in flood water at one point
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Joint effort: The princes joined members of the Household Cavalry who were lending their time to the relief efforts
According to sources, William and Harry had been keen to play a part for some days but did not want to publicise their presence for fear of distracting from the crisis facing householders.
They joined military personnel at 6am this morning and had hoped to stay working all day. But by mid morning, word of their presence had already slipped out.
Harry was wearing his army fatigues while William was in 'civilian' dress.
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Pass it on: Princes William and Harry joined soldiers who were transferring sandbags at Eton End school in Datchet
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Recovery efforts: The princes were working at a level crossing in Datchet, not far from Windsor Castle
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Prince Harry wades through the water in Datchet, United Kingdom. Flood water has remained high in the village and many have had to abandon their homes
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Downpour: William was later drenched when it started raining hard over the flood-affected town
A royal aide said: 'This is not something they wanted publicised and it was only decided on Wednesday night.
'They were very keen to help with the flood relief effort and thought that joining the military would be the best way.'
A Buckingham Palace spokesman told MailOnline: ‘They joined the Household Cavalry this morning from 6am and they have been helping to build walls of sandbags.’
William and Harry later left the office of Datchet Parish Council and got into a car alongside military personnel to continue the relief effort.
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Appreciated: Local town leaders praised the contribution made by William and Harry
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Experienced: Both princes have previously served in disaster and emergency situations
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Meeting: The brothers went to speak to members of the local council at the temporary military base in the Datchet town hall
Parish clerk Graham Leaver said: 'They were very involved and wanting to know what was going on. They have been in Datchet and the area and I think it's gone down very well. That is my assessment.
'They were very natural. To be honest, they could have walked in among people here and nobody would have recognised them looking at the way they were dressed.
'They were particularly interested in talking to the troops. The support we have received from the Army has been absolutely excellent and if they hadn't come into Datchet we as a parish would have been overwhelmed.'
While the floodwaters have receded since their peak earlier this week, 2in of rain was set to fall today with more tomorrow, raising the possibility of homes and businesses facing fresh horror over the weekend.
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The pair joined the Household Cavalry this morning from 6am and they have been helping to build walls of sandbags
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A royal aide said the pair did not want their efforts publicised in advance and only decided top pitch in on Wednesday night
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When Harry was asked by reporters if he was enjoying helping out, he replied: 'Not really, with you guys around'
The princes helped by unloading sandbags from military trucks onto freight trains which would then take them to areas where they are most needed.
They are no strangers to working in disaster zones and providing emergency relief - William has worked as a rescue helicopter pilot, while Harry has served two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
The Queen, William and Harry's grandmother, has also been lending a hand to flood victims by providing farmers with a way to look after their livestock during the crisis.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The Queen is supporting Somerset farmers affected by the flooding on the Somerset Levels by contributing feed and bedding from the royal farms at Windsor.'
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Barrier: William helps another soldier construct a dam to prevent the weather from causing too much damage in the future
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Intrepid: Harry joined other soldiers as they waded through waist-deep water
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Defences: A wall of sandbags is erected in Datchet to ward off floodwater which could rise following today's rain
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Getting stuck in: The princes and the Household Cavalry were undeterred by the onset of rain later in the day
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Also wading in: Prime Minister David Cameron was also treading water today while he had a discussion with farmer Tim Hook in the West Brampton area of Oxfordshire
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Wellington boots: Earlier this week, Ed Miliband (left) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (right) donned their wet-weather gear as they walked around communities devastated by the floods
The public statement came as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg denied a report that the Queen criticised the Government response to the floods in a private meeting with him in his role as president of the Privy Council.
Asked on LBC radio whether it was true that the Queen had 'waded in' over flooding, Mr Clegg replied: 'No.' He declined to discuss the content of their conversations any further.
But the fact that her efforts have been made public will be seen as a coded rebuke to the Government's reaction to the widespread devastation caused by the extreme weather.
Meanwhile, Lord Smith - a former Labour minister who has been heavily criticised for his response to the floods crisis - was far away from affected areas as he was seen outside his home in Islington.
The grandee has faced repeated calls for his resignation over accusations the Environment Agency exacerbated the scale of the disaster by failing to dredge vulnerable rivers.
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Soldiers: William and Harry have both served in the Household Cavalry and joined their comrades today
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2559329/William-Harry-chip-flood-effort-help-soldiers-lay-sandbags-Thames.html#ixzz2tKk1UJK5
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