Prince William recently took to the skies in an Apache helicopter after being named Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps by King Charles. This appointment marks his new role leading his brother Harry’s former regiment.

Charles and William smile during the ceremony

King Charles made the announcement at the Army Aviation Centre in Hampshire, his first joint engagement with William since 2022. They shared a light moment as Charles handed William an Army Air Corps beret and belt.

Charles and William smile during the ceremony

This change comes on the same day Prince Harry left Nigeria after a tour with Meghan. King Charles praised William as a “very good pilot,” omitting any mention of Harry, who had served as an Apache pilot in Afghanistan with the same regiment.

Charles and William at the Army Aviation Centre for the rare joint ceremony

William donned his new uniform and received an Army Air Corps tartan wrap for the Princess of Wales, a scarf for himself, and wooden helicopters for his children. The event took place as Harry and Meghan landed at Heathrow, en route to Los Angeles to reunite with their children.

A younger Prince Harry in front of an Apache he flew in Afghanistan

King Charles’s decision to appoint William to this role, previously expected for Harry before he stepped back from royal duties, highlights the evolving dynamics within the royal family.