Prince William’s New Role as Anglesey Tourist Attraction

Even though Prince William is supposed to be hidden away while training with the Royal Air Force, the crowds still follow him. So much so that he can be considered a temporary tourist attraction for Anglesey, an large island in Wales where the RAF maintains a base.

RAF Valley, or ‘Valley Camp’, is home to several SQN Search and Rescue Helicopters and is used in helicopter pilot training sessions. Prince William is expected to be posted there, and already, groups of tourists have been scouting the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

The Anglesey Tourist Board is optimistic about the effect that Prince William’s presence will have on the local economy. A spokesman for the board has said, “"He will raise the profile of the island as tourism destination, which can only be positive. I hope we will have fans of the Prince flocking to see him show his skills as a pilot.”

Droves of camera-toting tourists may well find the island to be an ideal spot to visit, royal presence or not. Anglesey boasts of beautiful beaches, picturesque hills, historical sites that go back to the prehistoric era, and the town with the longest name in the world:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

The name means "The church of St. Mary in a hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and near St. Tysilio’s church by the red cave". Don’t hurt yourself trying to pronounce it; you can also call it Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Llanfairpwll or Llanfair P.G.

Aspiring paparazzi may well be warned that pilot trainees have a tendency to look alike in their uniforms, sitting behind the helicopter windshields. Tony Jackson, a visitor from Liverpool, took several photos of someone he thought was Prince William at the controls of a helicopter, only to be told that the prince hasn’t even arrived on the island yet.

via Click Liverpool and Anglesey, Wales, Image: Newscom