Prince of Wales Visits RAF Valley for 85th Anniversary

The Prince of Wales returned to his former RAF base at Valley in Anglesey, north Wales, on Tuesday to mark its 85th anniversary, sharing fond memories of his time serving there as a search and rescue pilot.

William, dressed in an RAF military pattern camouflage uniform, addressed trainees at the station, which opened in February 1941. "I loved my time up here. It was great fun," he said. "Your time up here will go quickly, that's the thing. You'll look back with fond memories." He added that he misses the job and the camaraderie. The visit coincided with the day before his 15th wedding anniversary with the Princess of Wales on Wednesday. The couple lived near the Holyhead Mountain base from 2010 to 2013, including as newlyweds after their 2011 marriage.

During the engagement, William reunited with former colleagues, including pilot instructor Brian Wills and chief maritime instructor Andy Batchelor. He discussed maintaining his flying currency with them. Wills recounted William saying he would return "in a heartbeat." Batchelor described him as "a great guy, friendly, easy to get on with, a very competent pilot" who integrated seamlessly as "just one of the team," adding that...