Prince William Secretly Visited a New Helicopter Base After Hinting He Wants to Fly Again

Following his summer vacation, Prince William has been seriously busy with a plethora of royal duties. On September 12, the Prince of Wales paid a visit to Royal Air Force (RAF) College in Cranwell, England, which is where he earned his wings. The following day, William reportedly made a secret visit to the new Airbus Helicopters facility at London's Oxford Airport, per the BBC.

Prince William's appearance at the Airbus Helicopters event wasn't previously announced. However, the royal seemingly wanted to inspect the company's new headquarters and factory, which is valued at a whopping £50 million (approximately $66 million).

"Prince William surprised people at the event who were not aware that he was going to attend," the BBC reported. "He visited the new base which will be home for 250 members of staff and has room for 32 helicopters."

The Prince of Wales recently shared that he'd "love to fly again" (via People), which may explain his visit to the new facility.

Of William's private visit to the facility, The Telegraph reported, "It is understood that he was invited by Airbus because of his connection with London Air Ambulance, of which he is patron." The publication also revealed that William made a very "low-key appearance" and was wearing relaxed, casual clothing instead of the suits we're used to seeing him in.

In recent weeks, William has caused quite a stir by showcasing some rugged facial hair. In fact, Prince William's beard has generated a lot of interest on social media, particularly as the royal has remained cleanly shaven for most of his life.

One especially passionate fan bemoaned the brief disappearance of Prince William's beard at the end of August. "Catherine saw women on the internet swooning over her husband's beard and decided to make him shave it off," they wrote on X. "RIP beard. It was fun while it lasted." They continued, "P. S: Do not expect me to stop talking about his beard."