The Prince and Princess of Wales took their children on a surprise outing to the world's largest military air show on Friday (14.07.23).

The Prince and Princess of Wales with their children at RIAT

The Prince and Princess of Wales with their children at RIAT

The couple and their three kids, Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis - who recently finished school for the summer - braved heavy rain as they paid a visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire.

But the wet weather didn't dampen their enthusiasm, with Prince William and his wife Catherine sporting broad smiles as they were greeted by Wing Commander Will Essex.

The family first shook hands with senior members of the RAF before being escorted up the ramp of a C-17 transporter plane, which was used to carry Queen Elizabeth's coffin before her funeral last September.

George, who turns 10 next week, was given the task of partially raised the ramp, with his father looking on as he pushed the button, while Louis gave a wave to the camera after his mother helped him onto a quad bike.

Catherine also met winners of the Road to RIAT competition, which had seen children from 300 schools across the UK working in groups to design a sustainable plane and spoke to cadets in the Techno Zone, which aims to inspire young people to consider careers in engineering, aerospace and aviation and to learn more about science, technology, maths and engineering.

George previously visited the air show with his parents in 2016, where he was pictured in a Red Arrow Hawk cockpit sporting blue ear defenders.