Catherine was given a comprehensive insight into the station’s role in protecting UK airspace and supporting NATO missions overseas. But it was in the Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility — inside a state-of-the-art simulator — where the royal visitor turned heads.
“She seems to be a natural pilot. We might have to get her qualified in a Typhoon, if she’s up for it.”
RAF Coningsby is home to the frontline Typhoon squadrons responsible for the RAF’s southern QRA mission — a 24/7 readiness posture that ensures the UK's skies are constantly protected.
Appointed Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the base in 2023, Catherine met with operational personnel and families, learning more about their work both at home and on overseas deployments.
She was shown around a Typhoon aircraft by Wing Commander Luke Wilkinson, taking time to speak with pilots about recent missions, including deployments supporting NATO operations in Poland.
The Princess also met trainees from the RAF’s pilot pipeline, including several who had previously trained at RAF Valley in Anglesey — a base with personal significance. While her husband, the Prince of Wales, trained there as a search and rescue pilot, the couple lived on the island.
She was also presented with a memento of her visit — three model aircraft for her children. “They’ll be very upset that I’ve seen a Typhoon without them,” she joked.