King Charles is the military’s Commander-in-Chief and has served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. For centuries, ever since the days when the king led his army into battle, it’s been a tradition that the monarch, as well as senior members of the royal family, is associated with – or serve – in the armed forces.
King Charles found his passion in the Royal Air Force, and flying became a huge hobby, just as for his father. He took his first flying lessons while studying at Cambridge University, and many years later, he was even rumored to have flown the royal plane to meetings and duties abroad by himself.
The then-prince loved flying and became a great pilot. However, in 1994, tragedy almost struck when Charles was to land a Queen’s Flight passenger jet. Things didn’t go as planned, and the plane crashed – and if things had gone differently, we could’ve had a king named William today.
