After it was reported that their helicopter fleet had accumulated tens of thousands of miles in less than a year, Buckingham Palace has defended the Royal Family and one of their modes of transportation.
Buckingham Palace has defended the way the Royal Family often travels after it was reported that their helicopter fleet has flown an extraordinary 58,000 miles in a nine-month period.
The Firm’s pair of new AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters, which entered service in the beginning of 2025, are said to have flown select members of the monarchy the equivalent of twice around the world in less than a year. Flight records reveal the aircraft accumulated 420 hours in the air between February 25 and the end of November, with at least one helicopter taking to the skies on 142 of the 279 days during that period.
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In response to the findings reported by The Telegraph, a spokesman for Buckingham Palace said that the helicopters allow for the royals to easily reach remote places and undertake multiple royal duties in one day, streamlining travel for maximum impact.
“Helicopters are a key component of the royal travel plan due to their unique capability to access remote regions of the U.K., which are not otherwise readily served by other modes of transport,” the spokesperson said. “They also allow members of the Royal family to undertake multiple engagements in a given day.” The Mirror has also contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
Princess Anne was the most frequent user of the new helicopter fleet, with flight data showing 68 stops at her Gatcombe Park residence in Gloucestershire, reflecting her consistently high number of public engagements throughout the year.
Prince William has also made use of the choppers, which made a total of 52 stops between Windsor and Forest Lodge, the new home he and Princess Kate moved into with their children in October. The Princess of Wales reportedly used a new helicopter for solo engagements, and she and William also traveled in the aircraft together for joint duties in 2025.
The Royal household made the announcement in June 2024 that it would use two brand-new leased helicopters in place of two 15-year-old Sikorsky aircraft to increase their usage.
The King was “leading by example” when it came to using the most environmentally friendly modes of transportation, according to Tim Fauchon, CEO of the British Helicopter Association (BHA).
A aide claimed last year that helicopters were “a very important tool” that made the King and other family members “observable throughout the length and breadth of the UK”
The official responded, “If you’re going to make an investment of that magnitude, then you need to sweat the asset.” Therefore, you must make the most of the aircraft’s use otherwise it will not make sense to run those assets with only a small number of visits.
Source: Mirror
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