The Truth About Kate Middleton And Prince William's Surprise Outing

Kate Middleton and Prince William just made their first public appearance since Prince Philip's funeral, which was held on Saturday, April 17, per the New York Times. On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge paid their respects to the late Duke of Edinburgh in a new way, by visiting 282 (East Ham) Squadron, Air Training Corps in East London. According to People, Prince Philip served as Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps for 63 years. He retired in 2015 when he passed the title onto the Duchess of Cambridge, who is now an Honorary Air Commandant.

The visit to the squadron was therefore quite a special one. Hello! reported that Kate and Prince William wanted to learn more about the Air Cadets and their efforts in teaching young people important life skills. As such, they first met with cadets, who discussed their field craft exercises and leadership tasks with the royal couple.

After speaking with the cadets, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge talked with participants of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards (DofE). According to its official website, the DofE is a youth development program that helps young people recognize their passions. In fact, Kate Middleton herself participated in the DofE Awards during her four years at Marlborough College (via People).

Kate and Prince William also had a chance to enjoy a little fun on their visit. As reported by The Sun, Kate decided to give flight simulation a go and took a ride in a fake cockpit. Prince William, ever the supporting husband, offered to hold Kate's bag. "This is going to be interesting," he joked. Kate seemed to perform just fine, and listened intently to instructions over a headset.

Fortunately, both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge seemed to have a good time despite their recent loss, sharing in their respect of the late Prince Philip with the Squadron. Per People, The Squadron and the Duke and Duchess even gave a Three Cheers Salute in honor of Prince Philip.