Kate Middleton and Prince William mourn the death of an RAF pilot after a crash

The royal family expresses its condolences.

Prince William And Kate Middleton honored death Mark LongBritish Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot who crashed while flying a World War II Spitfire on 25 May.

“Incredibly sad to hear the news from RAF Coningsby this afternoon,” the couple said. published on X, formerly known as Twitter, on the same day. “Our thoughts this evening are with the pilot’s loved ones, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the entire RAF family.”

Mark’s death was confirmed by the group captain. Robbie Leeswho called the pilot “a great friend, colleague and passionate professional aviator.”

“An investigation into the causes of this tragic event has now begun,” the department said. Explanation of the statement of May 26. “The Royal Air Force will not be making any comment on the incident until the investigation is complete and we also ask others not to speculate.”

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Royal Air Force personnel and our emergency services colleagues who responded so quickly yesterday,” the statement said. “Our thoughts remain with Mark’s family and friends, to whom we offer our deepest condolences. We ask that their privacy be respected during this tragic and shocking time.”