Prince William has welcomed a new royal equerry, Sqn Ldr Mike Reynolds, who has much in common with William.
Reynolds, seconded from the RAF, will take over from Lt Cmdr Rob Dixon, who is returning to the Royal Navy after four years. According to the Telegraph, both William and Mike share a penchant for beards, but their mutual passion for flying is what truly binds them.
William has often expressed his love for flying helicopters and maintains close ties with the RAF and the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
During a visit to the Wales Air Ambulance headquarters in Llanelli, he remarked, “I’d love to fly again. I could volunteer for a weekend to make a comeback.”
So, what does a royal equerry do? This role involves serving as the eyes and ears for the members of the royal household and typically comes from one of the three branches of the British Armed Forces. Sqn Ldr Reynolds will work closely with the Prince at Kensington Palace and during public events.
In February, the Princess of Wales appointed Queen Elizabeth II’s former equerry, Lt Col White, as her private secretary. White served alongside the late Queen until her passing on September 8, 2022, and made history in 2020 as the first Royal Marines commando to hold the role. The position of equerry is generally held for three years.
This appointment follows an event where Prince George, 11, took a flying lesson with an instructor while his parents watched from the ground at White Waltham Airfield, near their Windsor home.
According to The Sun, George enjoyed an hour-long lesson on the last day of the school summer holidays, after which he relaxed with William and Kate at the West London Aero Club’s clubhouse.
