The Prince and Princess of Wales ensured their children’s summer holidays got off to a roaring start this afternoon.
The royal couple, both 41, treated their three children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, to a surprise visit to a military air show in Gloucestershire.
The three young royals have all broken up from Lambrook School in Berkshire and looked delighted to start their summer holidays with a family outing with their parents.
The family’s first stop was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queen’s coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September.
The family-of-five were taken on a tour of the aircraft and Prince George – who is celebrating his 10th birthday next week – took a particular interest in some of the controllers.
Future king George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22, sister Charlotte and brother Louis have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire. Pictured, Kate and William on a plane with their children
The couple’s eldest child beamed with joy during the tour – while his younger brother came to life when he spotted a quadbike.
While he clung to his mother’s side for the beginning of the engagement, Prince Louis happily hopped into the backseat and waved for the cameras outside.
As the family progressed with the tour, Louis preferred to stand next to the vehicle and look out over the airfield outside.
However, a board displaying information about the history of the plane Prince Louis invested in the tour again and he later rejoined his parents.
Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte listened intently during the engagement and stayed close to her parents. However, she was led astray by her little brother – who was perplexed by something he had seen on the roof of the aircraft.
Prince George was dressed in green chinos and a short-sleeved shirt for the tour while his younger brother looked adorable in a navy jumper and matching shorts.
Princess Charlotte wore a black-and-white striped dress with a Peter Pan-style collar and a white cardigan to keep her protected from the rain.
Both Charlotte and Louis were adorable in their matching navy plimsolls as they braved the rain.
Looking typically chic, Kate, 41, opted for a statement beige Blaze Milano blazer with a white blouse and tailored blue trousers as she explored a plane.
The family’s first stop at the Royal International Air Tattoo was a huge C-17 transporter aircraft, which was used to transport the late Queen’s coffin in the days ahead of her funeral last September. Pictured, Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate and Princess Charlotte
Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte were spotted standing behind their parents and pointing up to something they had seen on the roof
Prince Louis was more interested in seating in the backseat of this open-topped vehicle during the tour and gave photographers a wave
Prince Louis was enthralled by a military open-top vehicle while the rest of his family progressed with the tour around the aircraft
At one point, Prince Louis wandered away from his family and appeared more interested in what was going on outside the aircraft
Prince Louis looked adorable in a navy jumper, matching shorts and the same plimsolls as his older sister Princess Charlotte
Prince Louis of Wales reads information on a board inside a C17 plane during a visit to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford
Prince Louis rejoined his family when they all moved over to a display board detailing the history of the military aircraft this afternoon
Princess Charlotte wore the same plimsolls as her younger brother during the tour of the aircraft in Gloucestershire this afternoon
The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales as they arrive for their visit to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford
Prince George appeared delighted to be shown all the controllers in the aircraft during a surprise visit to a military air show in Gloucestershire today
A little wave from Louis! The five-year-old prince offered a greeting to the camera when at the show with his mother
Princess Charlotte, sporting a Rachel Riley dress, joins her mother, the Princess of Wales, at today’s occasion
William, 41, and Kate were all smiles when they arrived with their children at the air show, and was greeted by Wing Commander Will Essex.
They were greeted by grey skies that brought heavy rain but there were a few aircraft still in the skies before they arrived.
The event was a return visit for George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22. He was taken to the show by his parents in 2016, aged three, and was pictured wearing ear defenders at the time.
The royal children were dressed for a summer day in light casual clothing and George and Charlotte, who sported a Rachel Riley dress, looked around at the rain-soaked concrete around the huge plane when they stepped from their car.
They shook hands with senior members of the RAF before they were ushered up the huge ramp of the transport plane with their parents.
The family board a plane during their visit to the event today as the three young royals kick off their summer holidays in style
The three young royals looked delighted to start their summer holidays with the outing – even if the weather didn’t quite play ball with grey skies providing an overcast backdrop to the action
Future king George, who celebrates his 10th birthday on July 22, sister Charlotte and brother Louis have all broken up from their Lambrook School in Berkshire. Pictured, Kate and William on a plane with their children
The Princess of Wales with Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo
The Prince and Princess of Wales have treated their three children to a fun day out at a military air show today – with Kate stunning in a a beige striped blazer
Kate joined Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Gloucestershire
The Princess of Wales chats with Prince Louis during a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo
George was given the task of partially raising the ramp and could be seen pressing the button as his father watched on.
The event is one of the world’s biggest air shows in the world, with all proceeds made from the weekend going to The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust – supporting initiatives including engineering and flying scholarships.
Kate took over the role of patron for the Air Cadet organisation from Prince Philip in December 2015. Meanwhile, William served with the RAF’s Search and Rescue Force from 2010 to 2013, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey.
The family’s out comes after a royal expert claimed William is a ‘hands-on, caring dad’ and ‘not a workaholic like his father King Charles’.
The Prince of Wales, 40, carried out just 190 engagements last year, compared to his father’s 497 – but former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has praised William’s different approach to royal life.
She said the father-of-three is prioritising his family because he knows how much it means to his children [Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five] ‘to be around at weekends and holidays and whenever he can’.
William previously commented on the King’s workaholic nature, telling a BBC documentary in 2018 that he would like to have more ‘family time’ with his hard-working father.
Speaking to OK! magazine, Jennie said: ‘With the late Queen’s ailing health, William probably had to step up to his full time royal job quicker than he might have hoped, but you can see now how committed he is.
‘However, I also very much admire the fact that he’s not a workaholic like his father, he knows how important family life is… He seems to be a full on, hands-on, caring dad,’ she added.
Asked in the Prince, Son and Heir – Charles at 70 BBC documentary in 2018, whether his father has ‘time to be a grandfather on top of everything else’, William answered carefully.
In previous years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn’t get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed.
But his elder son made clear that he would like to have more ‘family time’ with his hard-working father.
William said: ‘It’s something I’m working more heavily on, put it that way. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children.
‘Now he’s reached his 70th year it’s a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health’s OK – and he’s the fittest man I know but equally I want him to be fit until he’s 95.
‘So having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to play around with the grandchildren. Because when he’s there, he’s brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.’
William added: ‘He has amazing personal discipline. So, he has – and it’s frustrated me in the past a lot – he has a routine. The only way to fit all this stuff in is things have to be compartmentalised. The man never stops.
‘I mean when we were kids there was bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him. We could barely even get to his desk to say goodnight to him.’
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