What a disgusting abuse of power and waste of money. I bet even Bill Gates doesn't have a Chinook to ferry him around! The only person I can think of that uses a Chinook is the American President. His excuse is that he has incredible responsibilities and so needs to stay in best condition as possible. He certainly wouldn't use it to go play at some Hooray Henry stag party!

Victor Emmanuel III, Edinburgh, UK

The same backlash occured here in Canada when it was learned that some pilots were tkaing Air Force fighter jets to visit their girlfriends. The thing is that regardless of the destination, if it is incorporated into the training syllabus and the same hours of flying are flown it doesn't matter where you go as long as the aim of the training is accomplished.

Whether he flew to a remote field his girlfriend'ds parents farm a 1 hour flight is a 1 hour flight regardless. Turns out here that in Canada, the guys had to fly 3 hours away, so he went home to visit family. It just looked bad even though, the same money was spent, he just got a little extra out of it.

JPC, London, Canada/Ontario

Makes a nice change to see someone give our fascist "Do as I say, not as I do" brigade something to gnash and snarl about, as they in turn do to me, and many of us, on a daily basis. Wasting Money! That's a laugh. If you want to complain about wasting money try No.'s10 & 11 first. Keep it up, Wills, you're doing a grand job.

John Lee, South Wirral, UK

Go for it Wills! At least someone is having some fun in this miserable country of envious puritan finger-waggers. What's the point of being the prince if you can't get up to a few jolly japes, eh?

D Rochedale, Liverpool, UK

Had any ordinary RAF officer, who had properly earned and been promoted into his position, tried such ridiculous stunts he would have faced a Court Martial. To try to tell us this was all part of this spoiled brat's training is utter nonsense and they know it.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

What's the point of arriving at the target with your chopper all raring to go and not actually engaging. Typical crab. Dread to think about his RN attachment perhaps a SSBN up the Thames firing a dummy Trident with a Love U Kate banner or maybe some kind of Hovercraft playing Kate's favourite music.
Very surprised our one removed from the heir to the throne actually did this, no,perhaps not as he is born of Charlie of all Charlies. Why don't they all stick to the family business of prolonging the Royal Family viz awarding honours and visiting old people (Address available on request) He does look good in RAF blue, maybe even better in khaki , very probably not in your actual Senior Service kit but then inevitably he will (no pun intended) be Lord High Admiral of the very small surviving fleet which should take about five minutes to review at Spithead. This would obviously have to include lots and lots of miscellaneous vessels (albeit very focussed) Hip Hip Hip Hooray!

George Gibson, Saltash, Cornwall, England

Just as well Kate didn't live on the Coast otherwise Prince William could have moored his battleship at the bottom of her garden!

John Szepietowski, Weybridge, Surrey

Hey, guys. Another word from your friend across the pond here.

Is the idea of a republic looking any better yet????

I mean, if this kid is the next prince of wales and he's filching helicopters to attend his cousin's stag party - I don't hold out much hope here.

Come on, now. It's easy. Just send the prime minister off to Buckingham Palace to say, "Errrmmm, Your Majesty, I think we need to have a little chat. And I do hope you have a large set of luggage handy-------------!"

barbara hartman, nutley, new jersey (usa)

This is like the speaker's wife's taxi bills. Go ahead and do what you like, but damn well pay for it yourself. It's the taxpayers' helicopter, but doubt I can get a ride in it.

Keith, St Albans,

I'd land a Chinook in my girlfriends backyard if I could. Who wouldnt. I think its hilarious and great PR.
The fact the future King can actually do something useful like pilot that aircraft is more important than where he parks it.

Clint, Auckland, New Zealand

I have two sons about the same ages as the Princes and yes if they had the opportunity to fly a Chinook helicopter to a stag party they would do. These are two young blokes doing excactly what you would expect guys of that age to do, forget all the other malarky , keep it up guys and if your passing . . .

Phil , Richmond, N Yorks, UK

People complain about this but dont complain about the fact that the government hasn't provided funds to make the other 23 Chinooks that are sitting in hangars airworthy. Nor have they provided money for brand new helicopters. I think the reality is being distorted here. The government has failed our armed forces no one else.

john, UK,

I have a lot of time for the princes but what William has done is flouted his posistion, if any normal person did this we would have to suffer the flak,
Could you imagine what would happen to a pilot if he just bunked off with a multi-million pound aircraft to go and visit his girlfriend oh my god he would be for the high jump by the RAF and the press would have a field day!! And rightly so !! US and them again!
He should know better than that i would expect it of Harry being the more rebeleous one of the two.

Mike, bridgend, wales

The answer is obvious. He should buy his own helicopter, he and his family can well afford it, then there would be no more talk of using RAF equipment.

GJB, Slough, Berkshire

Pete from Lincoln is right;

Those of us who have had the odd maverick serving under us, would despair in peace time, but those are the very same who will stand beside you come what may. Lose patience with them and you lose some of the best fighting men you could wish for, they are usually canny, witty and loyal.

Wills, soton, uk

Totally blown out of proportion as usual but the prince should have been more aware. I recall the tale of the Battle of Britain pilot who gave his WAAF girlfriend a lift in his one seater Spitifire. No doubt he would be hung out to dry these days but then he got an official boot up the backside and was allowed to continue flying. The general public have no idea whatsoever of the military mentality. They are quite prepared to see their young men go off to war to be maimed and killed but no appreciation of the the way they act. This country is falling apart and all we are agitiated about is whether or not a young RAF pilot bent the rules; how pathetic and God help us if we have another war. The thought of relying on Fleet Street to protect me does give me genuine feelings of horror. I want brave young men and women who will get stuck in to the enemy, just like that young Spitfire pilot many years ago.

Pete, Lincoln, England

Good on them!

Claire, London,

Interesting to read the many "good on yer mate" type of responses to this article. However William is not an ordinary bloke; he's the future King and should have known better. It's pranks like this that do the Monarchy no favours.

aelilk, London, UK

Blatant waste of taxpayers money, as are the royal family in general. the french had the right idea.

Dave, Coventry, England

Extraordinarily bad PR ...
Demonstrating that "VIPs" and MoD employees can flout noise abatement requirements and generally ride roughshod over the protocols that govern normal citizens lives, is not smart. Ordinary folk soon learn to disrespect the "Royals" and politicians who are members of the two-finger brigade.

Sean, Coventry, UK

I would like to know who authorised the second and third in line to the throne to fly together in such an inherently unsafe aircraft? What outcry there would be should the heir and spare be lost for the sake of a booze up on the Isle of Wight, think of conspiracy theories that would abound. This sort of jolly at tax payers expense has always gone on. I served 25 years in the RAF as an aircraft engineer, and during that time it was common practice for pilots to head off to somewhere nice for the weekend if they found themselves stuck in hell hole of a place, we just had to put up with it. I have to say the Isle of Wight wouldn't have been my choice.

Luke, Maidenhead, UK

Get a grip...I'd have done exactly the same thing if I was in his position..

Capt Padge, Herts, UK

Utterly brilliant! Good lad!

Neil, T Wells,

I was working in Ops at RAF Lossiemouth some years ago when a number of Buccaneers flew out to Norway for " an excercise " knowing that fog was about to descend on the area and flying was to be cancelled.

How convieniant then, that the officers were allowed to celebrate one pilots stag party in Norway on full expenses and that they had luckily had the foresight to stow away plenty of clothes for a two day stay in the bomb bay of each aircraft.

What a stroke of luck that was !!

Im sure i'd like to see the Air Chief Marshall talk about other stuff that goes on. And the list is endless, believe me.

Perks occur in every walk of life, in every job.

Get over it people, it happens all the time.

Hes the makings of a fine King.

Dave, Lincoln,

This is bloody ridiculous and just shows how out of touch this idiots are. I have no problem with the unearned privilege that this man is born into but to take advantage of his position in this manner is plainly stupid particularly at a time when are armed forces are struggling to get by on the drip feed of money from Brown and where British Army lives have been lost in Afghanistan because of a lack of helicopters.

Clearly their is no improvement in the grey matter quotient of the Royal Family and hopefully his grandmother will give him a serious dressing down.

Simon, London,

'the prince also flew to Middleton’s parents’ detached, five-bedroom house'

Only in property obsessed, super-snobby little Britain would that detail be thought worth including. Do they have a block-paving drive and a fake Victorian conservatory? And B+Q concrete lions on their gate posts?

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

If you are a Prince and cannot get away with this kind of privilege and entertainment then there seems little point in being a Prince.

Stu Peters, North Sydney, Canada

In this politically correct era I agree with Harry,get over it.

Christine Scanlon, Brisbane, Australia

Thus far H.R.H. has been a very responsible and thoughtful 25 year old. However, part of the role of aides (and in this case of his instructors) his to have the internal fortitude to say “Sir, have you considered that this is a foolish idea because. . .” and in the case of instructors to flatly say “No.” Unfortunately this is a blot one what heretofore as been a impressive record.

However, this too shall pass.

EAG, Maritimes, Canada

when you are to be the King in the future years, you get to have special privilages; get use to it.

Harry Stevens, Omaha, Nebraska; USA

How can anyone object. They cause no damage,they do not assault anyone, what offence do they cause??
Politicians use spurious excuses to fiddle flights for less good reasons at least he was learning something as he flew.
I'm happy for them to use my Tax £'s at least I can see some result for them.

pd greenfield, Thornbury, Bristol