Prince George recently enjoyed his first flying lesson, with his parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine, proudly watching from the ground.
Aviation has been a passion for the young royal since he was a toddler, and reports indicate that his inaugural lesson took place at White Waltham Airfield, near Maidenhead, Berkshire—just a 20-minute drive from the family's residence in Windsor. According to The Sun, Prince George’s flight lasted about an hour and occurred on the final day of his summer school holidays. Following the lesson, George joined his parents at the airfield’s clubhouse, part of the prestigious West London Aero Club.
White Waltham Airfield has deep connections with the British Royal Family. George, who is second in line to the throne, seems to be following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, Prince Philip. Prince Philip began his flying lessons at this very airfield in 1952, earning his Royal Air Force Wings the following year. Similarly, George’s father, Prince William, trained as a search and rescue pilot, beginning in 2009. William was initially stationed at RAF Valley in Anglesey in 2010, where he carried out operational deployments to the Falkland Islands. Later, he retrained to become an air ambulance pilot and served with the East Anglian Air Ambulance from March 2015 to July 2017.
The West London Aero Club, where George had his lesson, offers flying courses for people of all ages, though solo flying is restricted to those over 16. Given George's early interest, it's likely he could follow the family’s aviation legacy, learning the skills to pilot an aircraft when he’s old enough.
In a related note, Prince William recently shared his desire to return to flying helicopters. During a visit to Wales Air Ambulance headquarters in Llanelli, South Wales, he expressed nostalgia for his former role as an air ambulance pilot. The future king admitted that he misses flying helicopters and hinted that he might rejoin the Wales Air Ambulance team for a weekend shift. "I can't stop talking about helicopters and medical kits and all sorts," William remarked. "I'm quite keen to stay a bit longer... I saw the Cardiff team a while ago and said to them, ‘I'll come back and join them.’"
This latest development in George's life seems to mirror the growing interest in aviation that has become a tradition for the British Royal Family, ensuring that the skies remain a part of their legacy for generations to come.
