Kate and Wills fly to France for holiday on £8million private jet: George and Charlotte believed to have accompanied couple on the trip to 'visit relatives'

  • Kate and William arrived yesterday on the £8 million private Cessna plane
  • It is owned by the country’s richest man, the Duke of Westminster
  • Pair landed in the small south western airport of Pau-Pyrenees, near Spain 

By Rebecca English For Daily Mail

Published: 19:40 EST, 26 July 2016 | Updated: 05:21 EST, 27 July 2016

Kate arrived yesterday afternoon on the £8 million Cessna plane owned by the country¿s richest man

Kate arrived yesterday afternoon on the £8 million Cessna plane owned by the country’s richest man

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have apparently flown to France by private jet for a summer break.

Kate and William arrived yesterday afternoon on the £8 million Cessna plane owned by the country’s richest man, the Duke of Westminster, who has leant it to the couple several times before.

The pair landed in the small south western airport of Pau-Pyrenees, close to the border with Spain, at 1.30pm yesterday afternoon and were swiftly transferred into two waiting blacked out Range Rovers, out of the view of photographers.

Although the airport refused to comment, multiple sources told local newspaper, La Rep des Pyrenees, that the Duchess was on board and travelling to ‘visit relatives’.

There was initially no mention of air ambulance pilot Prince William or the couple’s children Prince George and Princess Charlotte although all three are believed to have accompanied Kate.

The family party would have travelled with their nanny, Maria Borrallo, and a small security detail.

Another group of Scotland Yard close protection officers were waiting for them at the location, having travelled out a few days earlier to ‘recce’ the holiday. 

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The cost of the flight wouldn’t be billed to taxpayers as it is a private holiday, although the bill for providing their police protection would.

After a few minutes unloading and repacking their luggage, the UK-registered cars then headed off in the direction of north Bearn and Gers. It is not clear where they were heading but the airport is 70 miles from the coastal resort of Biarritz.

Kate and William are seen riding in the front of a boat as they watch the America's Cup World Series Race on the Solent in Portsmouth this weekend

Kate and William are seen riding in the front of a boat as they watch the America's Cup World Series Race on the Solent in Portsmouth this weekend

The couple regularly borrow the Duke¿s jet for private trips and holidays, which seats up to eight people and would cost £12,000 a day to hire

The couple regularly borrow the Duke’s jet for private trips and holidays, which seats up to eight people and would cost £12,000 a day to hire

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HOW THE CESSNA HAS APPEARED ON OTHER ROYAL FAMILY TRIPS 

Kate and William were also said to have used the aircraft in March, when they took their children to the pretty village of Courchevel in the French Alps on their first family holiday. 

At the time, royal officials declined to comment on whether the family took a commercial flight or a private plane – although the timings and the fact that they weren’t spotted at an airport suggested that they may well have taken a private jet.

Prince George also flew on the plane when he was just a few weeks old, travelling up to Scotland to visit his great-grandfather, Prince Philip.

The couple also used it to fly to Balmoral last summer to see the Queen on her annual temporary residence. 

The couple regularly borrow the Duke’s jet for private trips and holidays, which seats up to eight people and would cost £12,000 a day to hire.

Prince George flew on the plane when he was just a few weeks old, travelling up to Scotland to visit his great-grandfather, Prince Philip.

The couple also used it to fly to Balmoral last summer to see the Queen on her annual temporary residence. 

And earlier this year William and Kate – who have been the subject of criticism this year for their lack of royal duties and being ‘workshy’ - slipped out of the country on a secret skiing holiday with pals, again on the Duke’s jet.

Gerald Grosvenor, said to be worth £735 billion and whose property portfolio includes 100 acres of Mayfair and 200 acres of Belgravia, is a close family friend.

His wife, Natalia, is Prince William’s godmother while his son and heir, Hugh Grosvenor, was asked to be Prince George’s godfather at the age of just 22.

His daughter, Lady Tamara, is married to one of William’s closest friends, Edward van Cutsem.  

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