William met Wills on Tuesday when the Prince of Wales was reunited with his former flying instructor, Captain Brian Wills.
The prince had returned to his former airbase in Anglesey, north Wales, for a visit which he described as “a bit of nostalgia for me”.
It was the first time William had been back to RAF Valley since taking over from his father as its honorary air commodore in August.
William, who was given a drink in a Prince of Wales mug during his visit, spotted his former flying instructor and joked: “I thought you might be here today, you hang around like a bad smell!”
Wills thanked the prince for his gift, later revealing that William had sent him a bottle of whisky and a card to celebrate his 50th birthday in 2022.
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Looking out at the view from the air traffic control tower, William, 42, said: “It’s a bit of nostalgia for me.”
Taking part in a simulated training exercise with a plane that had caught on fire, William jumped into a fire engine to operate the water pump and successfully extinguishing the flames.
He later joked that he had been “trying to get the media with the hose” but conceded that the visiting camera crew were “very well-behaved”.
Joining engineers, flight instructors and their trainees in the crew room, he presented the annual Prince of Wales award to Flight Lieutenant Jake Fleming.
Prince William served at RAF Valley, the only air force station in Wales, from 2010 to 2013, during his early married life. It hosts the RAF mountain rescue service and operates as a training centre for the UK’s next generation of fighter pilots.
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William and Catherine lived in a cottage nearby when he was posted at RAF Valley. Their first child Prince George was born in 2013 and the couple left a few months later.
At the time William said: “I know that I speak for Catherine when I say that I have never in my life known somewhere as beautiful and as welcoming as Anglesey.”
He added: “This island has been our first home together, and will always be an immensely special place for us both. Catherine and I look forward to returning again and again over the coming years with our family.”
On Friday, William will play in a charity polo match at Windsor. Last year, the Princess of Wales presented the trophy to the winning team although it is unclear whether she will be well enough to do so this year as her cancer treatment continues.
