The Princess of Wales impressed onlookers with her ‘natural’ skills as she took to a virtual flight simulator at RAF Coningsby – and even revealed her son Prince Louis‘s sky-high ambitions.
Kate, 43, today carried out her first visit to the Lincolnshire station in her role as Royal Honorary Air Commodore, having been appointed to the role in August 2023.
The royal was elegantly dressed in a smart, slim fit Bella Freud grey check suit for the occasion, paired with a top from Alexander McQueen and heels from Stuart Weitzman.
She tied back her newly lightened blonde locks for an elegant, yet practical look during the engagement – and at one point even performed a virtual ‘loop the loop’ manoeuvre on a flight simulator.
Donning navy stilettos, she gamely climbed narrow stairs in her heels to peer inside the cockpit of a fully armed Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon.
And she shared how her youngest son Louis is keen to become a fighter pilot, but added: ‘I’m going to tell them (her children) it takes eight years and a lot of hard work!’
Speaking to children afterwards, she also apologised to some of the youngsters for not wearing a dress for her visit.
She began her visit with a private briefing from Group Captain Paul O’Grady, Station Commander and Warrant Officer Nikki Nolan, Station Warrant Officer on the past 18 months of activity.
The Princess of Wales impressed onlookers with her ‘natural’ skills as she took to a virtual flight simulator at RAF Coningsby today – and even revealed her son Prince Louis ‘s sky-high ambitions
At one point, Kate, 43, performed a virtual ‘loop the loop’ manoeuvre on a flight simulator during her visit to the Lincolnshire base
The Princess appeared engrossed as he pointed out military hardware including missiles attached bellow the wings.
‘Would you like a go?’ he asked, to which she replied: ‘Yes, I’d love to.’
Inside she told him she had not used a simulator to fly a plane before, but had tried one used to train helicopter pilots.
But the Princess seemed to take to her simulated flight with ease and appeared to enjoy her virtual climb from RAF Coningsby enough to perform the aerobatic stunt.
The princess ‘flew’ around the Lincolnshire countryside with the North Sea ahead and, at one point, appeared to perform a loop-the-loop manoeuvre.
Speaking afterwards, Group Captain Paul O’Grady said: ‘She seems to be a natural pilot so we might have to get her qualified and get her flying a Typhoon, if she’s up for it.’
The Princess, who wore an RAF badge on her blazer, also chatted to two trainee pilots on secondment from RAF Valley, where Prince William was stationed Between 2010 and 2013.
‘How are you finding Valley?’ she asked Jack Hanby and Dan McPhail.
They told her they had met the Prince when he returned to Anglesey last year.
Kate appeared in her element and she beamed with a group of young children today
The Princess showed off her newly lightened locks as she met and chatted with young children
As she departed, she also met with families and young children – all keen to catch a glimpse of the royal
Kate even expertly performed a loop the loop on the flight simulator – and revealed her son Prince Louis wants to become a fighter pilot
Kate beamed as she was given a cup of tea, telling staff that it was ‘very good’
She appeared to be wearing a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana and pinned a gold winged RAF brooch to her blazer
The royal was elegantly dressed in a smart, slim fit Bella Freud grey check suit for the occasion, paired with a top from Alexander McQueen
A sizeable crowd filled with young children had turned out for an opportunity to meet the royal
Prince William, who served there as an RAF Search and Recue pilot, previously served as Honorary Air Commandant at Coningsby.
The princess has had a long family association with the RAF. Her paternal grandfather Peter Middleton was an RAF fighter pilot who served in World War II and later as Prince Philip’s co-pilot during a two-month tour of South America in 1962.
In ‘The Lounge’ – a communal space for those living at the station – she met Wing Commander Nick Startup, Officer Commanding, Base Support Wing and members of RAF Coningsby’s Welfare Team, and personnel including aviators from Junior Ranks, to hear about their roles and experiences on site.
She was presented with three toy Typhoons and key rings for her children, saying: ‘They will be very upset that I’ve seen a Typhoon without them!’
Upon receiving the gift, she said her three children would ‘absolutely love’ them, according to Lincolnshire Live.
She was also given a cup of tea by staff and was clearly impressed, saying: ‘It’s a very good cup of tea.’
The Princess was mobbed by toddlers as she took part in a length walkabout to meet families living on and around the base.
Crouching down to chat to them, she laughed as one little girl made a grab for her RAF badge and then her watch. which she seemed to want for herself.
‘Maybe you could put it on your Christmas list? Maybe you can ask Father Christmas?’ Kate suggested.
After landing via helicopter and being transported via Range Rover, Kate heard about the work of the Royal Air Force on recent operations, including supporting NATO ‘s work in Poland , before taking a look inside a Typhoon jet
The Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Coningsby during her first visit to the station
The Princess of Wales met with personnel and their families and got an overview of recent operations at the site
The Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Coningsby, during her first visit since taking up the role in August 2023
The princess looked in her element as she chatted with young children, who brought her gifts of flowers
Kate admired several of the little girls’ princess dresses and apologised that she wasn’t wearing one
Admiring some of the little girls’ ‘princess’ dresses, she said: ‘Where’s my dress? If I had known..’
She told another little girl: ‘I’m sorry I didn’t wear my dress today. Thank you for coming to see me.’
When another child held out her arms for a hug, she happily accepted, telling her: ‘Thank you – I love hugs!’
Despite having arrived an hour late due to bad weather, the Princess was in no hurry to leave and spent around 20 minutes shaking hands and chatting to some of the 700 families who live on or around the base.
She shared her own family’s enthusiasm for aviation along the way, telling 10-year-old Robin Sansum (corr) that her children had envied her outing to see military aircraft.
‘My children were very sad,’ she said, ‘the boys particularly.’
Robin’s stepmum Jo Sweeney, a business support officer at RAF Coningsby, said: ‘She was saying that Louis fancies becoming a pilot.’
Kate was heard to say: ‘I’m going to tell them it takes eight years and a lot of hard work.’
Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles as she speaks to military personnel during a visit to RAF Coningsby
Kate was given a two-hour tour of the army base – her first time visiting since being appointed her new role
Upon arrival, she shook hands with those who work at the RAF base
The princess appeared in high spirits for her solo visit this week
As she moved down the line of wellwishers, she was handed dozens of bouquets of flowers, drawings and a piece of embroidery.
‘I’m not going to be able to move into my home with all these flowers!’ she joked.
Accepting the hand-stitched piece from one little girl, the Princess told her: ‘I like sewing and I know the effort that takes to get the stitches so neat. You’ve taken a lot of care over that.’
When a young boy told her he enjoyed playing football at school, she replied: ‘That’s what our boys are playing at the moment. Charlotte is playing hockey.’
As she left, around 90 minutes later than originally planned, Kate told her hosts: ‘I’m sorry, I totally outstayed my welcome!’
Group Captain Paul O’Grady said of her visit: ‘It’s been absolutely brilliant, having the Honorary Air Commodore here, Princess Catherine.
‘It’s her first visit to Coningsby and to give her a demonstration of what it is that operationally we deliver for the UK and for the Royal Air Force, but also, more importantly for me, it’s meeting the men and women that deliver it. And they’ve had a fabulous time and enjoyed meeting her.’
He added: ‘Prince William’s been here before and so she was talking about the fact that he’d been here, and she’d been delighted to get a chance to come along today, and certainly, very animated about her children, who are really into aviation. So there was a lot of conversations along those lines.’
Kate enjoyed a cup of tea as she chatted to staff and personnel to learn more about the base
The princess looked thoughtful and was engrossed in a lively conversation as she sipped some tea
Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles are she meets military personnel during a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire
When she finally left, after her arrival was delayed by bad weather, Kate was mobbed by a crowd of toddlers
Kate appeared to be wearing a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana and pinned a gold winged RAF brooch to her blazer, which she previously wore on VE Day back in May.
The detail hinted at the poignant significance of the engagement for the princess, due to her family connections to the RAF.
Kate’s paternal grandfather served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War and flew with the late Duke of Edinburgh in the 1960s.
Captain Peter Middleton – who was the Duke’s co-pilot on flights across South America during a royal tour – died at the age of 90 just days before the Prince and Princess announced their engagement in 2010.
Kate was appointed to the Royal Honorary Air Commodore at the RAF bases in 2023, when King Charles reshuffled the royal family‘s military appointments, also adopting the position of Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm.
The title was previously held by her husband, who had performed the role at the Lincolnshire base for 15 years from 2008, while the Fleet role was previously held by Prince Andrew before it was stripped from him over his US civil assault case with Virginia Giuffre.
However, Kate was not joined on this occasion by her husband William, who has previously taken to the skies himself at the RAF base.
Following her visit this afternoon, William and Kate sent their thoughts to victims and families after two people were killed in a terror attack next to a synagogue in Manchester.
The Prince and Princess of Wales said in a personal message posted on social media: ‘Our thoughts are with the victims and the families of the terrible attack at Heaton Park Synagogue.
‘The fact that this tragedy occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more shocking.
‘We are thinking of the entire community as well as the emergency responders who attended this terrible incident.’
The message was signed ‘W & C’.
At least two people were killed in the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, this morning.
Last week, the Princess of Wales made a visit to Southport – and again was the picture of elegance with her ‘bronde’ tresses.
Kate and William were there to privately meet with the grieving parents of tragic stabbing victim Elsie Dot Stancombe, making an appearance at her former school.
Kate and personnel at the RAF base sat down for some tea and biscuits
The Princess took over the role as Royal Honorary Air Commodore in 2023
Kate was given a tour of a hangar, where she went inside a Typhoon jet
Kate was given a two-hour two of RAF Coningsby today – marking her first visit to the Lincolnshire station
Axel Rudakubana, 19, attacked a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on June 29, 2024, where he also killed Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injured eight other children. In January, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years.
The royal couple made an emotional return to the city to offer their ongoing support for families affected by the tragic murders, after first visiting last year.
The Princess was sophisticated as ever for the occasion, accentuating her smart suit and coat with golden locks that showed off a freshly lightened glow in the sun.
Kate first debuted her blonder hair last month, and has since been showered with compliments for the honey-tone of her new look.
Experts have also remarked on the versatility of the style, as well as the fresh new aesthetic it brings.
Lauren Paglionico, master colourist and founder of LRN Beauty in New York City, said autumn is always ‘the perfect time’ to show off a new hair colour, especially if you’re in the public eye.
‘There’s something about the seasonal shift that makes it feel like a natural moment for change,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘For some of these women, it’s possible they have something exciting on the horizon.
Kate opted for a sleek grey trouser suit and a smart pair of black heels
The royal was elegantly dressed in a smart, slim fit grey suit for the occasion, seeming keen to get stuck in and find out more about the army base
She also tied back her newly lightened blonde locks for an elegant, yet practical look during the engagement
‘As for Kate, she’s been through a lot and I feel this is her way of reintroducing herself on her own terms.’
Although Lauren admitted that typically, people like to dye their hair darker for the Autumn, she’s definitely been seeing ‘a shift’ this season.
Inside, William and Kate spoke to teachers about how the school was affected by the tragedy and the support it has provided to pupils, staff and the local community.
They also met privately with Elsie’s parents Jenni and David in the headteacher’s office. Along with Alice’s father Sergio Aguiar, David ran the London Marathon in April in memory of their daughters and the Prince and Princess donated to their fundraising efforts.
The princess told pupils: ‘I’m very impressed with all of you and all the hard work you’re doing. What a fantastic thing to learn to raise money to help other people. Keep up your hard work.’
Over the weekend, Kate was seen wearing a cowboy hat as she wished England’s Red Roses good luck in their match against Canada in the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
She is patron of the Rugby Football Union, a role she took over from Prince Harry in 2020 when he stepped down as a working royal and moved to the US with Meghan Markle.
Taking to the social media platform she shares with her husband Prince William, 43, Kate wrote: ‘Good luck England! Wishing the very best of luck to the @redrosesrugby in their Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham today. We’re so proud of you! C.’
Alongside the caption, Kate posted a photo of herself posing with players Megan Jones, Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach.
