Prince William had planned royal engagement at the Army Air Corps (AAC) regiment in Wattisham, Suffolk, on January 16th but it had to be postponed due to inclement weather via Marca. The Prince of Wales was set to visit the military regiment, where he holds the prestigious role of Commander-in-Chief, but the severe weather conditions made the visit unfeasible.
As per Kensington Palace, the adverse weather would have “significantly restricted the planned program.”
In a statement, the palace expressed their apologies and mentioned that Prince William was hopeful to reschedule the visit at the earliest opportunity. The royal was slated to arrive at the AAC regiment in a Wildcat Helicopter, a critical piece of equipment for reconnaissance missions.
The visit was also implied to provide an opportunity for Prince William to speak with armed forces members about their work, engage with families of servicemen and women, and discuss the importance of mental and physical resilience.
The cancellation marked a small bump in what had already been a busy start to the year for the Prince of Wales.
Just the day before, on January 15th, Prince William marked his first public appearance of 2025 in Birmingham, where he met with members of the College of Paramedics. The visit was part of his new role as patron of the organization and it marked his commitment to supporting paramedics and highlighting the vital work they do.
In addition to his official duties, Prince William also took a moment to connect with fans of his favorite football club, Aston Villa, at a local pub. During this encounter, the Prince shared a few beers and exchanged friendly conversations with supporters, providing a glimpse of the more approachable side of the royal. Despite the setback in Suffolk, the Prince’s visit to the AAC regiment was meant to be an important occasion, as it would have allowed him to engage deeply with military personnel and their families.