Prince George learning to fly aged 11 as future King makes maiden flight (original) (raw)
Prince George learns to fly aged 11 as future King makes maiden flight on last day of summer holiday
The future monarch was spotted soaring above an Airfield near Maidenhead on the final day of his summer holidays - as the Prince and Princess of Wales proudly watched on
Prince George is learning to fly at the age of just 11
Prince George is learning to fly at just 11 years old - and has already taken his first flight at an Airfield near his Windsor home.
The future monarch was spotted soaring above White Waltham Airfield near Maidenhead, Berkshire - a 20-minute drive from Adelaide Cottage - on the final day of his summer holidays, as the Prince and Princess of Wales proudly watched on. An onlooker described the moment, saying: “He loved it. It’s the right time to start."
“The Royal Family has a proud tradition of flying and it looks like George is next in line. His parents watched George take flight from the safety of the ground but he flew with an instructor and loved it,” they added
George has already made public appearances with dad William (
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William and Kate, both 42, had arrived in a three-car convoy to the airfield where George’s great-grandad Prince Philip also trained, reports the Sun.
Another person present at the airfield said: “There were probably 30 or 40 people in the clubhouse. Catherine and William watched George take off. But they were relaxed about it. All three of them had been pretty chilled in the clubhouse.”
Flying has long been a tradition for the Royal Family, but Prince George has started much earlier than his predecessors. The late Prince Philip began training at White Waltham in November 1952, aged 31. He then continued in the North American Harvard and was awarded his “wings” by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Dickson in May 1953 at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
William and Harry did not get their flying lessons until they were in the military. William started aged 27, as part of an intensive training programme with the RAF. This week, he spoke about his desire to get back into a helicopter again. Visiting the Wales Air Ambulance headquarters in Llanelli on Tuesday he said: “I’d love to fly again, I could volunteer for a weekend to make a comeback.”
Prince Harry, 39, also took the same flight training route on fixed-wings. In 2012, he became a gunner in an Apache helicopter in Afghanistan. Meanwhile King Charles trained in the RAF for four months, while Andrew was a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War.
West London Aero Club says White Waltham is “one of the oldest and best known airfields in the country”. It adds: “Set in 200 acres on the edge of a picturesque estate in the beautiful Berkshire countryside, it is also reputedly the largest grass airfield in Britain. With three long runways there is always one into wind. The Club has plenty of parking space and a wonderful, easy-going atmosphere.”