Prince charmed on RAF base visit

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Prince Charles has visited RAF Valley on Anglesey, where his son William will train as a search and rescue helicopter pilot next year.

But it was a little girl from one of the service families who stole the show at the base.

Two-year-old Bronwen Giles charmed the prince when she met him at the base and asked to be picked up.

"She's only two and everybody's her friend," said her mother Liz. "She's made me very proud of her."

Bronwen demanded to be picked up after demonstrating a well-rehearsed curtsey to the prince, with her four-year-old sister Amelia.

The Prince saw where his son would be training <a class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7919447.stm">In pictures: Prince Charles' visit</a>

She ran across the room after the prince and put her arms out to be picked up, which the prince did, before showing her some photographs on the wall she had pointed at.

Bronwen was at the event with her mother for other families at the base.

"It's a real honour to be asked to attend something like this," said Mrs Giles.

"They were really good and did their curtsies, but I didn't expect her to follow him across the room and promptly ask for pick-up."

Prince Charles was also given a preview of the new Hawk aircraft and met families of RAF servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

William is due to start training at RAF Valley later this year.

He is currently training in Shawbury, Shropshire.

The prince spoke to flying instructor Squadron Leader Andy Pilliner, who said afterwards: "He asked us where we were from and how busy we were.

Everyone is looking forward to training a future king of the country to fly, it's pretty good Squadron Leader Andy Pilliner

"He checked to see whether Prince William will be training with us or not, and yes, we will be training him later on this year."

He said the young prince would be taught how to hover the aircraft whilst winching a man on a wire out of the aircraft overland, over water, over boats and alongside cliffs in the mountains.

"Everyone is looking forward to training a future king of the country to fly. It's pretty good," he said.

"He as a lot of work to do before he even gets to us," he added.

After seeing the aircraft Prince Charles moved on to meet the families of RAF servicemen and women.

Later, the prince visited the Sharp factory at Wrexham and then the Calor Gas village of the year Froncysyllte.

Prince Charles met rescue helicopter crews during the visit