The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a terrifying experience on day four of their royal tour of Pakistan on Thursday when their plane was forced to make an emergency landing. Prince William and Kate's royal airforce plane had to abort its landing in Islamabad in a storm, and was in the air for over two hours for what was supposed to be a 25 minute journey. After the aircraft was unable to land at the Pakistani Royal Air Force base and a commercial airport, it turned back. William - a former air ambulance pilot - asked travelling media if they were okay following heavy turbulence, and joked: "I was flying!" ITV's royal reporter Chris Ship – who was on the plane with the couple - reported.
"After shaking around in the air, the RAF Voyager used for the #royalvisitPakistan turned around and has just landed back in Lahore (where we started)," he wrote on Twitter. Royal reporter Simon Perry also wrote about it on his own account. "Phew. Landed! But in Lahore. A terrifying electrical storm hit as we tried to land at Islambad. Lightning seemed to be crashing around the right wing. Despite the best efforts of the pilot William and Kate's RAF Voyager plane we couldn't land there."
Prince William and Kate Middleton's plane was forced to make an emergency landing
Earlier in the day, William and Kate had visited a government-run school in Islamabad, where they met a group of teenagers and discussed their aspirations from when they were younger. They also took part in a cricket tournament in Lahore, before paying a poignant visit to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, the same hospital which was visited by Prince William's late mother, Princess Diana, in 1996.
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The Cambridges are in Pakistan until Friday
William and Kate have travelled to Pakistan at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Kensington Palace said in a statement earlier in the month: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official visit to Pakistan between Monday 14th and Friday 18th October, at the request of The Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
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This is Their Royal Highnesses' first official visit to Pakistan. "Whilst The Duke and Duchess's programme will pay respect to the historical relationship between Britain and Pakistan, it will largely focus on showcasing Pakistan as it is today – a dynamic, aspirational and forward-looking nation. From the modern leafy capital Islamabad, to the vibrant city of Lahore, the mountainous countryside in the North, and the rugged border regions to the West, the visit will span over 1000km, and will take in Pakistan’s rich culture, its diverse communities, and its beautiful landscapes."
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