The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had to return to Lahore after attempting to land twice in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Thursday.
Kate Middleton and Prince William's Royal Tour of Pakistan hit a snag on Thursday when their RAF Voyager, which also contained several members of the press, their household staff, and British High Commission staff, had to turn around after two landing attempts at two separate airports in Islamabad.
A Royal source tells ET that it was “very scary” on the plane. “The plane aborted their landing in Islamabad twice due to severe electrical storms in the area. They’re now stuck in Lahore,” the source says. “Prince William was a class act. He checked on everyone and joked he was flying the plane.”
According to several royal reporters, the plane was forced to turn around and return to Lahore, Pakistan, where the couple spent the day on Thursday, due to a severe storm, lightning, and extreme turbulence.
Prince William, a former emergency air ambulance pilot, spoke with the plane's inhabitants after the drama, joking, "It was me flying." The flight has since landed in Lahore.
"Few of us have experienced turbulence as bad as that - and it’s fair to say there were are a few [sick] faces on the flight.....," reporter Rebecca English tweeted. "At the moment we have no idea if and when we will be able to return."
She later shared a video of the plane, noting that the passengers might be up in the air again later that evening in order to return to Islamabad.
Reporter Simon Perry added, "Lightning seemed to be crashing around the right wing."
William and Kate had a busy day of events on Thursday prior to their flight troubles. They visited the Badshahi Mosque that Princess Diana had visited in 1991, played a game of cricket, and also visited the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital that Diana had also visited in 1996 and 1997, where they had a sweet tiara-filled tea party with a patient.
For more from the royals, watch the clip below:
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