Prince William forced to cancel royal engagement due to 'bad weather'

It comes after the prince had a very busy day yesterday
Rebecca Sayers

Prince William has pulled out of a royal engagement today as a statement on his absence is released – just hours before it was meant to start.

As the Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps (AAC), William was supposed to visit the regiments at Wattisham in Suffolk today (January 16).

Prince William became Colonel-in-Chief in May 2024 when King Charles officially handed over the role at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop.

Prince William waving during royal event
The Prince of Wales’ engagement was cancelled today (Credit: Cover Images)

Prince William engagement today cancelled due to ‘bad weather’

During William’s visit, he was scheduled to meet service personnel and observe elements of regular training. But unfortunately, he was forced to pull out of his visit due to the weather.

The Prince of Wales sends his sincere apologies to those who he had been due to meet.

As the bad weather continues, it seems the plans for Prince William’s trip today had to be halted.

A statement was released on behalf of William to inform everyone about the cancellation. And it emphasises that he hopes to reschedule.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “With regret, this engagement has been postpones as a result of poor weather which would have significantly restricted the planned programme.

“The Prince of Wales sends his sincere apologies to those who he had been due to meet. And he hopes to reschedule his visit at the earliest convenience.”

The AAC is the combat aviation arm of the British Army, which many recognise thanks to their blue berets.

It aims to seek out, overwhelm and defeat enemy forces by utilising Wildcat Battlefield Reconnaissance and Apache Attack helicopters.

In the last 12 months, AAC regiments have been deployed to countries like Norway, Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Germany.

Prince William’s trip today would have followed a very busy day yesterday (January 15) for the royal.

Prince William hangs out in Wetherspoons with football fans

The royal travelled to Birmingham to attended the inaugural Emergency and Critical Care conference, meeting with senior leaders and speakers.

It has been announced that William has become the new Patron of the College of Paramedics.

After the conference, as a huge football fan, William headed to meet some fans.

William spent time in a Wetherspoons pub, surrounded by Aston Villa fans. And it seems he even bought them one round of drinks – living up to his nickname ‘One Pint Willy’ given by Mike Tindall.

During his time at the pub, he chatted to fans about the sport, desperate to stay in the know. So it does seem his love for football is very real.

The fans that got to meet him gushed about how polite he was and explained he wanted to stay connected to his favourite team.

Kate Middleton, Prince William and their kids all smiling at event
Kate also announced she was in remission after a tough year for her and her family (Credit: Zak Hussein / SplashNews.com)

Princess Kate announces she is in remission

Not only was this a big week for William, but his wife Kate also announced she was in remission.

The Princess of Wales, 43, first announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. Then, after a lengthy treatment plan, she shared she was cancer-free in September.

On January 14, Kate visited the Royal Marsden Hospital where she previously underwent her treatment. And while she was there, she shared how she feels “relief” over being in remission.

Her cancer journey was evidently a difficult time for her and her family. But William has clearly been a supporting husband.

On her birthday last week, he shared a beautiful message to his wife as he told her how “proud” he and their kids are of her.

Read more: Kate’s adorable link to Prince William during hospital visit

Are you disappointed William’s event has been cancelled? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial. We want to hear your thoughts!