By Katherine Tinsley
3:16pm PDT, Oct 17, 2025
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"I do still fly, yeah — I keep my hours going. When you learn that skill set, you just don't want it to go,"
Prince William said when asked if he still gets in the cockpit. "I've definitely lost a lot of the skills I had, but I like to keep on top of my flying, keep doing it."
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"And it's my happy place, I love flying,"
Prince William added.
The Prince of Wales was previously a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot for the Royal Air Force but was never in combat.
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Prince William received training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst since military experience is a tradition for male members of the royal family.
"I miss the Search and Rescue — glory days. I miss the Sea King flying around, because when I hear it, that noise, as it flies past," William said while reflecting on his military career. "We had obviously the U.S. state visit the other day, seven aircraft flying over. Sea King comes in, I was like 'there she is' that noise went straight to my heart."
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While visiting RAF Benson,
Prince William and
Crown Prince Hussein joked about his wrench clicking while assisting with maintenance work.
"You will check before it goes back (into service), I don't want to be responsible," William said.
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Flight Lieutenant
Steve Wilders previously served alongside
Prince William and was happy to hear he still jets off into the sky.
"It was really nice to hear that he has carried on flying — he's still a pilot. He made it sound as though he still enjoys it and it's a nice break from the everyday pressures I suppose, getting up and flying away from everything," Wilders said, per
Daily Express.
