Prince William’s Visit to Army Air Corps Postponed Due to Inclement Weather

Prince William’s scheduled visit to the Army Air Corps (AAC) in Wattisham, Suffolk, was postponed on January 16th, 2025 due to adverse weather conditions. Kensington Palace released a statement explaining that the poor weather would have significantly hampered the planned activities, preventing the Prince of Wales from meeting with families and servicemen and women as intended. The Prince expressed his sincere apologies and hopes to reschedule the visit soon.

The visit held special significance for Prince William, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, a prestigious role bestowed upon him by King Charles in May 2024. He was scheduled to arrive at the base in a Wildcat Helicopter, a key aircraft used for reconnaissance missions. During the visit, he planned to engage with personnel about the Corps’ crucial work, observe training exercises, and discuss the experiences and challenges faced by the regiment with soldiers and their families. The discussions were intended to focus on resilience, adaptability, and the importance of both mental and physical well-being.

:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749×0:751×2)/prince-william-Aston-Villa-supporters-011525-2-4ace16530a944bcf89124d91637e7d3d.jpg)

The postponement follows a busy few days for the Prince. On January 15th, he visited Birmingham to engage with the College of Paramedics in his capacity as their new patron. While in Birmingham, he also made time to connect with fans of his favorite football club, Aston Villa, at a local pub.

Prince William’s connection to the Army Air Corps runs deep. It was previously his brother Prince Harry’s regiment, where the Duke of Sussex trained as a pilot in 2009 and served in Afghanistan from 2012 to 2013.

:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(978×542:980×544)/Prince-William-King-Charles-fathers-day-06162402-14b04b17ddbb4c64bc6da8672bd2e6d4.jpg)

📚 Unlock the World of AI and Humanity with These Two Free Books! 🚀

Dive into the thrilling realms of artificial intelligence and humanity with "The ECHO Conundrum" and "Awakening: Machines Dream of Being Human". These thought-provoking novels are FREE this week! Don't miss the chance to explore stories that challenge the boundaries of technology and what it means to be human.

Read More & Download

While the official handover ceremony took place in May 2024 at the Army Aviation Centre in Hampshire, Prince William’s appointment to the role was announced in August 2023, amongst a series of new military appointments for working members of the royal family.

Prince William’s military background includes his service as a trained pilot in the Royal Air Force’s Search and Rescue Force at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, from 2010 to 2013. He furthered his aviation career by retraining as an Air Ambulance Pilot, serving with the East Anglian Air Ambulance from 2015 to 2017.

:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749×0:751×2)/prince-william-birmingham-011525-8-0e7df98d55f84d328bbe3e91f777fe39.jpg)

The Wattisham base is located approximately two and a half hours from Windsor, where Prince William resides with his wife Kate Middleton and their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. This planned visit comes on the heels of Kate Middleton’s recent announcement that she is in remission from cancer after receiving treatment in 2024. The Birmingham engagement marked Prince William’s first official royal duty of 2025.