Elite British troops have reportedly put Kate Middleton through a grueling set of physical and mental exercises to prepare her for the possibility that she could be kidnapped.The training by Britain's renowned Special Air Service (SAS) troops teaches key survival skills such as how to spot unusual or suspicious surroundings, how to react when attacked and how to build a relationship with hostage-takers, according to a report in The Sun newspaper.
A source tells The Sun that Palace officials want to ensure that Kate's new royal status and worldwide profile don't "make her vulnerable to attack." The source added: "She has been well trained in what to do should the unthinkable happen. VIP kidnap protection training teaches how to cope both mentally and physically. The mental element involves reacting to unusual situations, such as when there was a stranger in the Queen's bedroom - and she just started talking to him."
The full training regimen can take several months but it is not known whether the Duchess of Cambridge took an abbreviated version. Other Royals who have had SAS personal protection training include the Queen, Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Charles, according to the newspaper.
When William took the course as a 16-year-old in 1998 he was taught to fire a submachine gun and was bundled into a car in a mock ambush, The Sun reported.
