Princess Kate
Prince William is kicking off his new role with a sweet gesture for Princess Kate. On Monday, May 13, the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps began his first day on the job alongside his father, King Charles, who transitioned the title to him during a ceremony at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, Hampshire. While his wife–who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer–was not in attendance at the formal handoff, Prince William brought home gifts from the event for Princess Kate and his three kids.
The Prince of Wales’ family was clearly top of mind as he accepted presents inspired by his new role: “an AAC tartan wrap for the Princess of Wales, a scarf for himself, and three wooden helicopters for their children,” per a post on X (formerly Twitter) shared by The DailyMail’s Rebecca Black. Threaded clips and photos also showed the royal flying in an Apache helicopter and meeting with soldiers in his regiment during his first engagement.
While Princess Kate has stepped away from the public eye since announcing she was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer on March 22, King Charles recently made a return to his public-facing duties amidst his own cancer battle. Earlier in the day, the British sovereign proudly handed over the new military honor–a title which he previously held–to Prince William on Monday, telling the crowd that his eldest son was a “very good pilot.”
The announcement of the appointment previously raised eyebrows, as Prince Harry formerly served with the Army Air Corps, and his brother’s new role will effectively lead Prince Harry’s former regiment. Prince William previously served as a search and rescue pilot for three years.
