15 October 2025
Prince William misses the “glory days” of being a search-and-rescue pilot.
Prince William misses his RAF days
The Prince of Wales served with the RAF from 2009 until 2013 before flying with the East Anglian Air Ambulance from March 2015 until July 2017 and at a joint engagement with his “dear friend” and fellow helicopter pilot the Crown Prince of Jordan, Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire on Wednesday (15.10.25), William looked back on his military days with great fondness.
According to the Daily Telegraph, he said: “I left and went straight into the Air Ambulance afterwards and did three years or so there and… it sort of merged into one big flying trip. I miss the search and rescue days, the glory days.”
The prince told how he loved hearing the sound of the Sea King helicopter flying during US Premident Donald Trump’s state visit last month.
He added: “Seven aircraft were flying over and Sea King comes in and I was like ‘there she is’ – that noise went straight to my heart, it was a great sound.”
The 43-year-old royal still enjoys flying when he can and admitted piloting an aircraft is his “happy place”.
Asked whether he still flies, he said: “I do still fly – I keep my hours going because, when you learn that skill set, you just don’t want it to go. I’ve definitely lost a lot of the skills Ι had, but I like to just keep on top of flying and keep doing it. It’s my happy place when I’m flying.”
During their visit, the princes met trainee aircrew and staff from No. 28 (AC) Sqn and No. 22 Sqn – with whom William served during his time at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales – and heled engineers work on the main rotorhead of a Chinook aircraft, with the British prince joking someone would come along to “check” his counterpart’s work.
They then attended a private meeting with RAF personnel.
The two princes flew to the engagement by helicopter from Windsor Castle, with Kensington Palace stating it highlighted their “strong relationship” and mutual respect for the Armed Forces.
