The Queen Is Reportedly 'Terrified' Of This Happening To Prince William

Prince William may be one of the highest-ranking members of the royal family, but he also has a very cool history as a pilot. The Duke of Cambridge served as a military rescue helicopter pilot for seven years before taking his last official flight in 2017 just as his oldest son, Prince George, was set to start school (via USA Today). William opted to leave his job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance service to become a full-time working member of the firm. As second in the order of succession, William is expected to take the throne following his father, Prince Charles, in the future.

Upon taking his official last flight with the air ambulance service, William issued a statement revealing how important the job has been in his life. "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," he said. "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."

While William no longer pilots his air ambulance, that hasn't stopped him from using his flying skills. In fact, he is known for flying himself and his family in a helicopter. However, it's said that William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, has some issues with him doing so.

According to The Sun, Queen Elizabeth is reportedly "terrified" that disaster could strike Prince William and his family and is raising concerns about the Duke of Cambridge piloting helicopter flights with his wife Kate Middleton and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. While there is a royal protocol that prohibits senior members of the royal family from flying together in case of tragedy, the family is said to have relaxed that rule a bit for the Cambridges so that they could easily spend time between London and Norfolk.

The queen can give permission for royals to fly together, as she did when William and Kate took a then-9-month-old Prince George to Australia and New Zealand in 2014. "While [there] is no official rule on this, and royal heirs have travelled together in the past, it is something the Queen has the final say on," a source told People of the rule. Meanwhile, the queen is said to have had many conversations with William about her fears, as she's worried about the Duke flying his family the 115 miles between Kensington Palace and their home in Norfolk. Sources tell the outlet that Elizabeth has expressed her worries to William and those close to her. 

"Her Majesty has told close friends and courtiers that she would like William to stop flying himself, particularly in bad weather, as helicopters are not the safest form of transport," the insider explained. 

Queen Elizabeth's worries about Prince William and his family's flying safety have gotten so bad that she's said to be losing sleep over the issue. "It keeps the Queen awake at night and she is understandably very worried," the told The Sun. "The Queen has told William she is worried that, however good he is as a pilot, bad weather and accidents can strike at any time," the insider added.

The queen's fears about Prince William piloting his helicopter with his family in tow come after some scary moments for the royal family while flying in helicopters. Sophie Wessex reportedly suffered through a dangerous flight back in 2017, while William's stepmother, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is said to have had two serious incidents occur while on the queen's own helicopter.

Of course, Queen Elizabeth's concerns are valid as many high-profile people have also died due to airplane and helicopter accidents, such as basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020, per ESPN.

Queen Elizabeth reportedly doesn't have any doubt in Prince William's piloting skills. However, she can't help but worry about her loved ones. Sources tell The Sun that the queen "knows William is a very confident and capable pilot but does not think it is worth the risk for all five of them to carry on flying together and can't imagine what would happen. It would spark a constitutional crisis." 

In addition, Elizabeth reportedly believes that William and Kate are going to be good for the monarchy when their time comes. "She thinks the future is bright with them at the helm after Charles but if something happened to him and the family it doesn't bear thinking about."

While the queen seems to have valid fears about the Cambridges flying together in a helicopter, William appears to be confident and feels safe flying with his wife and children in the aircraft.