Nicole Moschella
Prince William had a full day of work on his last day as an air ambulance pilot!
Videos by Rare
On Thursday, the Duke of Cambridge said goodbye to the career he loved so much to free up his time to devote to his royal duties.
According to the royals’ official website, William reported to work for his night shift and attended the shift change briefings per usual before joining his team for a photo.
On his last day, the East Anglian Air Ambulance tweeted their thanks to the Duke.
“William has been an integral part of the EAAA team. He’s a fantastic pilot, a much loved & valued member of the crew,” the EAAA wrote.
William has been an integral part of the EAAA team. He's a fantastic pilot, a much loved & valued member of the crew https://t.co/eWT6293xzx pic.twitter.com/JYAoJGy9NO
— East Anglian Air Ambulance (@EastAngliAirAmb) July 27, 2017
Kensington Palace documented William’s final helicopter checks on his last day on the job with a video on Twitter.
The Duke of Cambridge has arrrived @EastAngliAirAmb and is running Anglia One through its final checks as he commences his last shift. pic.twitter.com/lItEfn7anT
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) July 27, 2017
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Prince William began piloting operational missions in July 2015 after joining the EAAA in March 2015. He has reportedly been based at the Cambridge Airport throughout his service as part of a team of doctors, paramedics and pilots. The helicopters William piloted can reach patients in the region within 25 minutes and provide treatment as soon as possible.
In a recent interview with the Eastern Daily Press, William opened up about his last day on the job.
I wanted to say thank you to my colleagues, team mates and the people of East Anglia, who I have been so proud to serve. Over the past two years I have met people from across the region who were in the most desperate of circumstances. 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. I have watched as incredibly skilled doctors and paramedics have saved people’s lives. 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. I am hugely grateful for having had this experience.
Prince William previously opened up about the “sad, dark” memories from his time as a pilot.
“There are some very sad, dark moments, and we talk about it a lot. But it’s hard. You try not to take it away with you, but it can be quite difficult,” he said.
He revealed that to get through the tough times, he and his colleagues would often talk it out and “banter” after a call.
“If you share the same, in some cases, sad incidents, then if you can get over it together by being able to talk about it in the future. Being a close team, you come away with a collective way of dealing with it together, and it helps you move on to whatever you’ve got to do next,” he said.
William’s last day on the job comes just months after he and his wife Duchess Catherine announced they would be moving to Kensington Palace in London from their home in Norfolk.
