Princess Kate Makes First RAF Coningsby Visit as Royal Honorary Air Commodore

Princess Kate, the Princess of Wales, made her first visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire since becoming the Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the base in 2023. During the visit, she toured the station, learned about its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoon aircraft operations, and experienced flying a Typhoon jet simulator herself, marking a royal first. She met with RAF personnel, including fighter pilots involved in NATO operations in Poland, as well as the welfare team and families of service members. Dressed in a professional grey Bella Freud suit, she also inspected a Typhoon jet in the hangar and was briefed on the base's role in UK airspace defense alongside RAF Lossiemouth. Kate's military affiliations, bestowed by King Charles, also include roles such as Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm and Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards. The visit highlighted her transition into military leadership roles and her engagement with the armed forces' operational and welfare aspects.