Additional Coverage:
Royal Family’s Helicopter Habits Take Flight: New Report Reveals Extensive Travel
Buckingham Palace’s fleet of helicopters has been in the spotlight recently, with a new report shedding light on the extensive mileage racked up by the royal family. Data indicates that two new AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters, currently on lease, have collectively flown an impressive 58,000 miles – a distance equivalent to circling the globe more than twice.
According to a report from The Telegraph on Sunday, January 4, these same helicopters logged 420 hours of flight time between February 25, 2025, and the end of November 2025, serving senior members of the royal family.
Princess Anne and Prince William Lead the Way in Air Travel
Flight data cited in The Telegraph reveals that Princess Anne and Prince William were the most frequent flyers. Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park residence emerged as the most visited destination, with 68 stops.
Prince William, for his part, made 47 stops in Windsor and an additional five at Forest Lodge, the home he shares with Princess Kate Middleton and their three children since October 2025. Princess Kate also utilized helicopters for solo engagements, and the couple frequently traveled together for joint duties throughout 2025.
Buckingham Palace Defends Helicopter Use
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace addressed the report, emphasizing the strategic importance of helicopters in royal travel. “Helicopters are a key component of the royal travel plan due to their unique capability to access remote regions of the U.K., which are not otherwise readily served by other modes of transport,” the spokesperson stated. “They also allow members of the Royal family to undertake multiple engagements in a given day.”
Concerns Over Prince William’s Piloting
The discussion around royal helicopter use has been ongoing for years, with particular attention paid to Prince William’s role as a pilot. Royal biographer Robert Jobson, in his 2024 book Catherine, the Princess of Wales, claimed that King Charles III expressed concerns about William “piloting his entire family around.” Jobson further alleged that Charles’ request for William to “curb his helicopter use” came after the monarch’s cancer diagnosis in 2024.
Jobson also suggested that these concerns echo those previously held by the late Queen Elizabeth II. He recounted an instance where William “upset the late Queen Elizabeth when he defied her by piloting his entire family the 115 miles from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall in Norfolk.”
The Queen’s apprehension reportedly stemmed from a fatal 1967 helicopter crash involving her flight captain. She is said to have cautioned William, particularly regarding flying with his heir, Prince George, reminding him of the line of succession and deeming it “an unnecessary risk.”
In a 2024 interview, Jobson reiterated that William appears to be “defying” both King Charles and the late Queen’s concerns, stating, “You cannot fly with all your family… And he did.
He defied her. And then the king has said exactly the same.”