Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s Prince William

The Duke of Cambridge in training with the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Photo: SAC Faye Storer

William took unpaid leave in April following the first phase of his training.

He is understood to be in the closing stages of his training to be a pilot with the ambulance team which serves Bedfordshire.

After his training the Duke will transport patients from the county to hospital.

He and his wife Kate welcomed the birth of Charlotte last month and have spent most of the time since away from the public eye at their home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk with their newborn and son George.

The Georgian country home was given to the couple by the Queen as a wedding present.

He previously served in the Royal Air Force, most recently as a search and rescue pilot and has had several official engagements since the birth of his second child, including awarding actress Sheridan Smith an OBE.

And the Duke, an Aston Villa supporter and president of the FA, watched his club endure a crushing 4-0 defeat at the hands on Arsenal in the FA Cup final at the weekend.

His return marks the end of a break of almost six weeks from his flying duties.

The EAAA serves the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, an area of 5,000 square miles, and needs to raise £8.6 million this year alone to continue its service.

Find out more at www.eaaa.org.uk.