Prince George joins mother on visit to RAF base

Prince George joined the Princess of Wales on an engagement at a military air base as he prepares for his future as head of the Armed Forces.

The future King, who will be 13 next month, visited RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, where he sat in the cockpits of two fighter planes – one historic, one modern.

A video shared by Kensington Palace to mark Armed Forces Day shows him inspecting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which operates 11 aircraft and is based there.

The footage, posted on social media in slow motion with a music soundtrack, shows Prince George and his mother sitting in the cockpits of a Second World War Spitfire and an RAF Typhoon.

It is the first time just mother and son have undertaken an engagement together. The Princess of Wales has taken all three children to a baby bank to help pack bags for those in need, and the Prince of Wales has introduced his son to homelessness charities.

A photograph of the RAF Coningsby visit shows that Prince George, who will start at Eton in September, is now nearly as tall as his mother.

Prince George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, have previously visited RAF air bases and watched air shows in their own family time.

The Princess of Wales has been Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Coningsby since August 2023.

In 2023, the family was photographed visiting the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have both said Prince George would like to visit the military during their own engagements in recent years.

In 2024, during a Buckingham Palace garden party, Prince William told a guest his son had an interest in flying.

He was heard to tell Sqn Ldr Chrissie Lacey, a padre serving at RAF Coningsby, that his son would love to visit the hub because he was a “potential pilot in the making”.

Prince George is known to have been taking private flying lessons at White Waltham Airfield.

The visit to RAF Coningsby happened about two weeks ago. Kensington Palace did not list the engagement on the Court Circular, the official record of the Royal family’s work.

It posted footage on social media on Saturday, Armed Forces Day, and the visit will be listed retrospectively, with Prince George’s name expected to be included.

It is part of Prince George’s gradual introduction to life in the Royal family. Last year, he joined senior royals at a Buckingham Palace reception for VE Day, where he spoke with veterans.

Kensington Palace said the visit to RAF Coningsby was “honouring Service and Sacrifice”.

In a message posted on Instagram, it said: “Marking Armed Forces Day by reflecting on time spent with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby.

“Learning about the extraordinary history of these aircraft and meeting the pilots and engineers who keep their legacy alive. A powerful reminder of the courage, skill and dedication of those who serve, past and present.

“Thank you to all those who have served and continue to serve.”