Prince William Pays Private Visit to Helicopter Hub After Admitting He Misses Flying: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince William at the Sovereign’s Parade at RAF College in Cranwell on Sept. 12, 2024.Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty

Chris Jackson/Getty

Prince Williamquietly visited a new helicopter hub after revealing that he’s pining for the skies.

According to multiple reports, the Prince of Wales, 42, privately appeared at the opening of the Airbus Helicopters headquarters at London’s Oxford Airport on Sept. 13. The airport is about two hours from Windsor, where William lives with wifeKate Middletonand their children, and the outing came a few days after the formerair ambulance helicopter pilotsaid he’d “love to fly again.”

Prince William visits Wales Air Ambulance in Llanelli, Wales on Sept. 10, 2024.Geoff Caddick - WPA Pool/Getty

Geoff Caddick - WPA Pool/Getty

At a gala dinner benefitting London’s Air Ambulance in February, the Prince of Walesvoiced supportfor its fundraising apparel for two new Airbus H135 helicopters and celebrated the achievement of the goal as “fantastic news” in August.

“Fantastic news! This is going to have a life-saving impact,” William wrote on X over the summer, reposting the initial announcement from the charity he has backed as patron since 2020. “A huge thank you to everyone who donated,” he continued, signing the post “W” to indicate that the message came directly from him.

“The prince is an important figure in the British helicopter community, and it was a great pleasure to show him our new state-of-the-art production facilities,” Lenny Brown, managing director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, said of the Sept. 13 visit, according toHello!.

Prince William earned his Royal Air Force (RAF) wings from his fatherKing Charlesat RAF Cranwell in 2008 after completing a 12-week flying course, then worked as an RAF search and rescue pilot in Anglesey, Wales from 2010 to 2013, overlapping with his engagement and marriage to the future Princess Kate.

Prince William and Kate Middleton after his graduation at RAF Cranwell on April 11, 2008.Pool/Anwar Hussein Collection/WireImage

The Prince of Wales left operational duties with the Armed Forces in September 2013, shortly after the birth of their first child,Prince George, now 11. He later retrained as an Air Ambulance Pilot and worked for East Anglian Air Ambulance from 2015 to 2017, later pivoting to embrace a full-time royal workload later that year.

While William has been known toprivately flyin the years since, he mentioned missing air ambulance workwhile visiting Waleson Sept. 10.

“I’d love to fly again. I could volunteer for a weekend to make a comeback,” he said during a stop at the Wales Air Ambulance hub in Llanelli, South Wales last week,The Telegraphreported.

Prince William meets staff and crew at Wales Air Ambulance in Llanelli, Wales on Sept. 10, 2024.Geoff Caddick - WPA Pool/Getty

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Prince William and Princess Kate, 42, reportedly watched as their eldest son took to the air for just under an hour at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire, England, which is about 20 minutes from their home atAdelaide Cottage.

Prince George and Prince William visit the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on July 14, 2023.Chris Jackson/Getty

The airfield is also where George’s late great-grandfather,Prince Philip, earned his RAF wings in 1953.

“He loved it. It’s the right time to start,” an onlooker told the outlet about George’s big day.

In July 2023, the Prince and Princess of Wales took their three kids on aprivate family field tripto the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where George and Louis seemed especially excited as they explored at the world’s largest military air show.

source: people.com