Cafè owner stunned as William stops for burger while helicopter refuels

A cafè owner was stunned when Prince William dropped in for a burger while his helicopter refuelled.

Prince William was on an RAF search and rescue training flight when he touched down at Swansea Airport, south Wales.

Charles Brathwaite, who owns the small airport’s Red Dragon Cafè, served bacon rolls, cheeseburgers, chips and coffee to the crew of the Sea King helicopter yesterday lunchtime.

Prince William is training to become a search and rescue helicopter pilot at RAF Valley on Anglesey, North Wales.

Mr Brathwaite said: “He (Prince William) just popped in. It was a bit of a shock.

“The Sea King normally comes in anyway. It comes in for fuel or a pit stop as it were, but on this occasion he was on board.

“All nine crew members came out and came into the cafè.

“All these men in green were at the counter.”

They were discussing who was going to pay for lunch when Mr Brathwaite, 43, spotted the Royal crew member. “I was like ‘Oh my God, it’s you’,” he said.

“It was a good laugh. He had his burger and chips. I cooked a meal for all nine crew members.”

Prince William is not the first member of the Royal family to use the airport during Mr Brathwaite’s four years in charge of the cafè.