Prince William has granted permission for air ambulances to land and refuel at Kensington Palace during the pandemic.
The Duke of Cambridge, 37, who was made patron of the London Air Ambulance Charity in March, has offered up a patch of grassland normally used for Royal Family helicopters.
It is hoped the move will help save lives as it means paramedics will no longer have to waste time flying to Watford – the nearest fuelling base – to refuel, reports the Evening Standard.
The arrangement enables pilots to land and take off from Perks Field, a section of grassland next to the palace, which is the London home and office of Prince William and his wife Kate, 38.
The Duke of Cambridge, 37, who was made patron of the London Air Ambulance Charity in March, has offered up a patch of grassland normally used for Royal Family helicopters at Kensington Palace to the London Air Ambulance. Pictured arriving at the Royal London Hospital aboard a London Air Ambulance helicopter in January 2019
A royal source told the publication: ‘Perks Field has been made available to the London Air Ambulance. The palaces are happy to help in these times.’
The Cambridges are currently on lockdown at their Norfolk residence, Anmer Hall, with their three children Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two.
The prince is a former search and rescue helicopter pilot and flew as a medic for two years with the East Anglian Air Ambulance until 2017, before stepping down to take on more royal roles on behalf of the Queen.
Prior to that he was known as Flight Lieutenant Wales when he served with the RAF in Angelsey, North Wales.
A royal source said: ‘Perks Field has been made available to the London Air Ambulance. The palaces are happy to help in these times.’ Pictured: the Queen Victoria statue and Kensington Palace
During his three-year tour, the duke took part in 156 search and rescue operations – during which 149 people were rescued.
Last year, the father-of-three was patron of London Air Ambulance’s 30th anniversary campaign for the duration of 2019.
In January 2019, he visited the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, where he met with clinicians, paramedics, pilots and crew members and piloted the helicopter the London Air Ambulance kept there on stand-by.
In November of the same year, he attended the charity’s gala and was hailed ‘one of their own’ by the staff in attendance.
Prince William is a former search and rescue helicopter pilot and flew as a medic for two years with the East Anglian Air Ambulance until 2017, before stepping down to take on more royal roles on behalf of the Queen. Pictured beginning his new job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) at Cambridge Airport on July 13, 2015
Jonathan Jenkins, the CEO of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, said: ‘We are honoured that The Duke of Cambridge has chosen to become Patron of London’s Air Ambulance charity after getting to know us last year. The Duke truly understands our work and knows that every second counts in an emergency.’
He added: ‘We know that with his help as well as the continued support of the public, our crews can reach those who need them most – serving the people of London 24 hours a day, every day of the year.’
In March it was reported that the prince was keen to return to the NHS as an air ambulance pilot to do his bit in the fight against the deadly coronavirus.
In March it was reported that the prince (pictured in 2015 while working for the East Anglian Air Ambulance) was keen to return to the NHS as an air ambulance pilot to do his bit in the fight against the deadly coronavirus
He is understood to have made the confession during a visit to a NHS call centre in Croydon, south London.
A source told The Sun: ‘William has been seriously considering returning as an air ambulance pilot to help in the current pandemic.
‘He knows the whole country is doing its bit and he wants to help. But it’s complicated as he was originally grounded from the job so that he could become a senior working royal.
‘That role is even more important now given that Charles has been ill, Harry has walked away with Meghan and Andrew has been effectively barred from public life. But William is very keen to do anything he can to help.’