It was reported that one of the four British soldiers killed in Basra on Thursday was a friend of Prince William.
Second Lieutenant Joanna Yorke Dyer, 24, died when a roadside bomb destroyed the Warrior armored vehicle she was operating in.
Patrick Harrison, a royal family spokesman, revealed that Prince William, second in line to the throne, met Joanna Yorke Dyer met at Sandhurst Military Academy when they were training. He revealed, “Prince William was deeply saddened to hear the tragic news of Jo Dyer’s death.” He added, “Jo was a close friend of his at Sandhurst and he is very much thinking of her family and friends right now and they will remain in his thoughts and prayers.”
A friend of the prince revealed, “Her death is especially resonant for William as his brother Harry is only a few weeks away from deployment to Iraq himself.”
2nd Lt Dyer completed officer training at Sandhurst after graduating from Oxford University. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Kenyon, her commanding officer, described her as a “talented and energetic officer.” 2nd Lt Dyer had only been in Iraq for a few weeks when she died.