It’s a year of great change for the royal family, as Kate, William, George, and Charlotte prepare to move to London full time (the family had largely been stationed in their Norfolk home). Prince George is going to be starting school this fall, and Prince Philip announced earlier in 2017 that he is retiring from his official duties. The seasons—for the royals, for all of us—change.
As part of this shift, Prince William has now, as of today, finished out his stint working as an air ambulance pilot, per an announcement from the palace. In a statement, Kensington Palace said, “On his final day at work, The Duke will arrive for a night shift, and attend the hand over briefings from the day team as usual. He will then join his teammates at the helicopter he has flown for the past two years for a group photograph.”
William started the high-pressure job in March 2015, and he has spoken out in the past about his love for the collaborative nature of the work. “I look forward [to] coming here every day whether it is at 5:30, or going to bed at 2:00 in the morning. The shift work is exciting and it’s challenging for its variety and the fact that I love working in a team,” he said in a 2016 BBC special. “That’s something that my other job doesn’t necessarily do. You are more out there on your own a little bit.”
William commemorated the occasion by writing an op-ed for the Eastern Daily Press on Thursday. “As I arrive for work at East Anglian Air Ambulance this evening, my last shift with this incredible team, I wanted to say thank you to my colleagues, team mates and the people of East Anglia who I have been so proud to serve.” He continued, “Over the past two years I have met people from across the region who were in the most desperate of circumstances. As part of the team, I have been invited into people’s homes to share moments of extreme emotion, from relief that we have given someone a fighting chance, to profound grief. I have watched as incredibly skilled doctors and paramedics have saved people’s lives. These experiences have instilled in me a profound respect for the men and women who serve in our emergency services, which I hope to continue to champion even as I leave the profession. I am hugely grateful for having had this experience.”
William concluded: “Having had the great good fortune to experience serving the East Anglian Air Ambulance, I would like to finally say thank you to the community who fund, support and keep the air ambulance flying. As I hang up my flight suit, I am proud to have served with such an incredible team of people, who save lives across the region every day.”
People notes that William has already “passed on his love of flying” to Prince George, as the two were photographed touring a helicopter on the Germany leg of their royal tour last week.
