Prince William enjoys his hero status. The British royal, who’s expecting his first child with wife Kate Middleton in July, opened up about his day job as a rescue pilot, which has earned him many headlines for being a real-life Superman.
“There’s no greater feeling than when you’ve actually done some good and saved someone’s life,” the 30-year-old says in the BBC documentary “Helicopter Rescue,” which airs in the United Kingdom in April.
“I don’t think there’s any greater calling in life … to be able to see a son or daughter’s face when you bring their mother or father back from the edge of death – it’s quite powerful.” Despite his affinity for being part of the U.K.’s RAF Search and Rescue Force, William has reportedly given his notice and will conclude his tour with this summer, according to a new report in Us Weekly. Continuing on in that particular role is something he’s been debating the last few years as his royal duties increase – he is the heir to the British throne, after all – and now he also has a baby on the way.
“William is ready to take on new challenges – as a royal and within the armed forces,” an insider tells the magazine, noting that William “will be making an announcement within the next month and leave RAF Valley around the time of the birth.”
A spokesperson for the prince denies that a decision has been made. However, William might not be the one to make the final call about his future with the RAF. It was announced earlier this week that the search-and-rescue helicopter service is set to be privatized. After being operated by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force for more than 50 years, an American company – the Texas-based firm Bristow – will be taking over and William and his fellow pilots will be out of work. There is some time before that happens though — the change becomes official in 2015. William and Kate have been spending time at their Anglesey, Wales, cottage – which is near the prince’s base – but they are in the process of remodeling an apartment in London’s Kensington Palace, which will be their main base later this year after the royal wee one arrives.
