A plane understood to have been carrying the Queen Consort suffered massive nose damage when it was hit by a bird strike today as it flew home from India.
The mid-air drama is unlikely to have been welcomed by Camilla who is known to have a fear of flying.
The British Airways Boeing 777-200ER aircraft (G-YMMJ) was flying from Bangalore in India to London Heathrow when it collided with a bird shortly before 1pm on approach for landing.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the incident, but it is believed that the Queen Consort was onboard returning from a health retreat on the subcontinent.
A photograph of the plane after landing showed a massive dent in the plane’s nose cone where the weather radar is housed.
Although the damage looks dramatic, jetliners do occasionally hit birds and there was no danger to the aircraft.
The British Airways Boeing 777-200ER aircraft (G-YMMJ) was flying from Bangalore in India to London Heathrow when it collided with a bird shortly before 1pm on approach for landing
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the incident, but it is believed that the Queen Consort was onboard returning from a health retreat on the subcontinent
A photograph of the plane after landing showed a massive dent in the plane’s nose cone where the weather radar is housed
Camilla has publicly acknowledged her fear of flying and doesn’t let it stop her from jetting across the world.
She is said to have once sat terrified on the steps of a tiny private jet during an overseas visit refusing to get in.
On board, she can often be seen squeezing her husband’s King Charles’s hand as an aircraft is taking off.
Charles, despite being a pilot, is hugely sympathetic to her phobia, but was heard during one particularly bumpy flight to yelp loudly: ‘Darling, please don’t hold me so hard!’.
The Queen Consort, 75, is believed to have been taking a break in India while King Charles continues with his royal duties.
She has visited the SOUKYA holistic health retreat in Bangalore at least seven times since 2010.
SOUKYA promotes itself as a 30-acre organic farm, which offers yoga and ayuverdic, homeopathic and naturopathic treatments.
The centre offers treatments for more than 100 conditions.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority between 2012 and 2016 there were 8,011 confirmed birdstrikes in UK airspace
The mid-air drama is unlikely to have been welcomed by Camilla who is known to have a fear of flying
SOUKYA promotes itself as a 30-acre organic farm, which offers yoga and ayuverdic, homeopathic and naturopathic treatments
Camilla was joined at the resort by Charles in 2019 to celebrate his 71st birthday, when they both are said to have dined on the retreat’s vegetarian food and practiced yoga.
Her husband on Tuesday appointed Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace.
Camilla is understood to have been in India for a well-deserved ten day break.
Activities on offer at SOUKYA include bird watching, a medicinal garden, cooking demonstrations, musical programmes, tours of the garden, talks from the doctors and Trataka – a yogic purification and tantric method of meditation.
There’s also a chapel, a badminton court, indoor games including a snooker table, a library and a swimming pool.
The Medical Consultation Building, where guests are tested before being recommended a wide range of treatments
The retreat will no doubt appeal to the prince’s dedication to sustainability, as all its farming is organic, they use solar power and wind energy and harvest rain water.
There is a variety of suites and rooms for guests to stay, ranging from deluxe to super deluxe special, which boast a spacious private garden with veranda, a pantry, king-size beds, an en-suite bathroom with a shower and bath tub and your own private outdoor shower. Prices start from £735/INR 42,900.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: ‘The aircraft landed safely and customers disembarked as normal.’
The plane will be inspected and the airline is expected to be returned to normal service soon.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority between 2012 and 2016 there were 8,011 confirmed birdstrikes in UK airspace.