Prince William’s Helicopter Use Raises Concerns for Two Generations of Monarchs
Prince William’s use of the royal family’s helicopter has sparked significant concerns for both his father, King Charles III, and his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal expert Robert Jobson claims in his biography, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, that King Charles III has expressed concerns about William’s use of the helicopter to fly his entire family around. This is not the first time a member of the royal family has voiced concerns about William’s helicopter use.
According to Jobson, Queen Elizabeth II was also worried about William’s helicopter use, particularly after he defied her by piloting his family 115 miles from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall in Norfolk. The queen reportedly recalled a 1967 crash that killed her flight captain and cautioned William about flying with his heir, Prince George.
Jobson notes that Queen Elizabeth II regarded William’s helicopter use as “an unnecessary risk.” She initially expressed her concerns privately after the prince used the helicopter to fly his family to Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk for extended holidays.
The recent request for William to curb his helicopter use was made after King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer. (The king announced his diagnosis in February following a routine prostate procedure.)
According to Jobson, King Charles III insisted that William sign a formal acknowledgement of the risks involved and take full responsibility for his actions. This was a grim reminder of the weight of succession.
When discussing his biography with Us Weekly, Jobson claimed that the questions about William and the helicopter were first raised amid the controversy surrounding Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle.
A royal family! Prince William is his father King Charles III’s direct heir — and he couldn’t be more proud of his dad’s accomplishments. “My father’s first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service. It was a pledge to continue to serve,” William gushed during his speech at the celebratory Coronation […]
As Jobson claims, Queen Elizabeth II told William, “You cannot fly with all your family. And he did. He defied her. And then the king has said exactly the same — and William is pretty much defying him.”
Get more exclusive insight into Robert Jobson’s Catherine, the Princess of Wales in this week’s new issue of Us Weekly.
As far as Jobson is aware, William is still using the helicopter, despite the concerns raised by both his father and grandmother.
“Actually, the king got him to write down to say that he knows the problems involved, and it’s his responsibility,” the author continued. “I think it’s rather naive of him to do it.”
Us Weekly has more on this story.
