Prince George learns how to fly a plane aged 11

The heir to the throne took to the skies

The king to be completed his first flight on the last day of his summer holidays before heading back to school, as reported by The Sun.

The heir to the throne took to the skies above Maidenhead in Berkshire last week, departing from White Waltham Airfield with his parents there to watch.

Prince George took control of his first flight in a Piper PA-28 which is designed for novices with its dual controls that allow for an instructor to take control when necessary.

The prince's flight was watched by several onlookers, with one telling the Sun: “He loved it. It’s the right time to start. The royal family has a proud tradition of flying and it looks like George is next in line."

Another person at the airfield said: “There were probably 30 or 40 people in the clubhouse. Catherine and William watched George take off. But they were relaxed about it. All three of them had been pretty chilled in the clubhouse.”

The airfield was the same place where George's great-grandfather, Prince Philip, trained.

Flying is a tradition that has endured in the Royal Family with both his father and grandfather earning their wings too.

However, the Prince has started his training much earlier than his elders.

Prince William was 27-years-old when he began flying with the Royal Air Force and would go on to serve with the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

King Charles III was awarded his wings in 1971, after completing 140 hours of flight training in an RAF Jet Provost.

Meanwhile, Prince Philip took to the skies at age 31 and was awarded his licence by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir William Dickson at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 1953.

Upon William becoming colonel-in-chief of the Army Air Corps in May earlier this year, the King described him as “a very good pilot indeed”.