The Princess of Wales took control of a flight simulator during her inaugural visit to RAF Coningsby, a trip that carries a meaningful connection to her grandfather.

Today, Kate, 43, made her first visit to the Lincolnshire station as Royal Honorary Air Commodore, a position she assumed in August 2023.

For the occasion, the royal wore an elegant Bella Freud grey check suit, which she paired with an Alexander McQueen top and Stuart Weitzman heels.

She styled her recently lightened blonde hair in a practical yet elegant manner, aiming to get a firsthand introduction to the base’s functioning and their role within the RAF.

Arriving by helicopter and subsequently traveling via Range Rover, Kate learned about the Royal Air Force’s recent operations, including their involvement in NATO’s efforts in Poland and inspected a Typhoon jet.

She seemed to be wearing diamond and sapphire earrings formerly owned by Princess Diana and adorned her blazer with a gold winged RAF brooch.

The detail hinted at the poignant significance of the engagement for the princess, due to her family connections to the RAF. 

Kate’s paternal grandfather served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War and flew with the late Duke of Edinburgh in the 1960s.

Captain Peter Middleton – who was the Duke’s co-pilot on flights across South America during a royal tour – died at the age of 90 just days before the Prince and Princess announced their engagement in 2010.

Kate was appointed to the Royal Honorary Air Commodore at the RAF bases in 2023, when King Charles reshuffled the royal family’s military appointments, also adopting the position of Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm. 

The title was previously held by her husband, who had performed the role at the Lincolnshire base for 15 years from 2008, while the Fleet role was previously held by Prince Andrew before it was stripped from him over his US civil assault case with Virginia Giuffre. 

However, Kate was not joined on this occasion by her husband William, who has previously taken to the skies himself at the RAF base. 

Later today, as she continued her solo visit, Kate met Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) personnel – the RAF’s 24/7 mission to protect airspace. 

This means that, when airspace controllers detect a potential threat or unidentified aircraft, they will trigger an alert and prompt Typhoons to be prepared for interception. 

During her visit, Kate viewed one of these aircrafts, before visiting the Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility – a newly opened site which provides integrated training environments for pilots. 

The Lincolnshire base is home to two frontline squadrons and is the training station for Typhoon pilots.   

Finally, the royal mother-of-three visited a communal space called ‘The Lounge’, where she met members of the welfare team and personnel. 

As she departed, she also met with families – all keen to catch a glimpse of the royal. 

Last week, the Princess of Wales made a visit to Southport – and again was the picture of elegance with her ‘bronde’ tresses. 

Kate and William were there to privately meet with the grieving parents of tragic stabbing victim Elsie Dot Stancombe, making an appearance at her former school.

Axel Rudakubana, 19, attacked a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on June 29, 2024, where he also killed Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injured eight other children. In January, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years.

The royal couple made an emotional return to the city to offer their ongoing support for families affected by the tragic murders, after first visiting last year.

The Princess was sophisticated as ever for the occasion, accentuating her smart suit and coat with golden locks that showed off a freshly lightened glow in the sun.

Kate first debuted her blonder hair last month, and has since been showered with compliments for the honey-tone of her new look.

Experts have also remarked on the versatility of the style, as well as the fresh new aesthetic it brings.

Lauren Paglionico, master colourist and founder of LRN Beauty in New York City, said autumn is always ‘the perfect time’ to show off a new hair colour, especially if you’re in the public eye.

‘There’s something about the seasonal shift that makes it feel like a natural moment for change,’ she told the Daily Mail.

‘For some of these women, it’s possible they have something exciting on the horizon.

‘As for Kate, she’s been through a lot and I feel this is her way of reintroducing herself on her own terms.’

Although Lauren admitted that typically, people like to dye their hair darker for the Autumn, she’s definitely been seeing ‘a shift’ this season. 

Inside, William and Kate spoke to teachers about how the school was affected by the tragedy and the support it has provided to pupils, staff and the local community.

They also met privately with Elsie’s parents Jenni and David in the headteacher’s office. Along with Alice’s father Sergio Aguiar, David ran the London Marathon in April in memory of their daughters and the Prince and Princess donated to their fundraising efforts. 

The princess told pupils: ‘I’m very impressed with all of you and all the hard work you’re doing. What a fantastic thing to learn to raise money to help other people. Keep up your hard work.’

Over the weekend, Kate was seen wearing a cowboy hat as she wished England’s Red Roses good luck in their match against Canada in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. 

She is patron of the Rugby Football Union, a role she took over from Prince Harry in 2020 when he stepped down as a working royal and moved to the US with Meghan Markle.

Taking to the social media platform she shares with her husband Prince William, 43, Kate wrote: ‘Good luck England! Wishing the very best of luck to the @redrosesrugby in their Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham today. We’re so proud of you! C.’

Alongside the caption, Kate posted a photo of herself posing with players Megan Jones, Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach.