Britain's Prince William (file photo)
Prince William is considering taking to flying again as an air ambulance pilot rather than embark on full-time royal duties in United Kingdom.
A year after the third-in-line to the British throne stepped down as a search-and-rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force (RAF), plans are being drawn up for him to take up a "day job" with the East Anglian air ambulance service near his country home, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.
The 31-year-old Duke of Cambridge is understood to have told his aides that he is not yet ready for full-time royal engagements, a stance supported by his father Prince Charles.
Sources told the newspaper that Mr William has consulted the Queen about his plans.
The East Anglian service, located close to Anmer Hall, the royal couple's residence near Sandringham, is run for charity purposes.
A role with the service, which was launched by Italian jockey Frankie Dettori in 2000 after he survived a plane crash, would involve 10-hour shifts working around a rota of five days on and three days off.
Last week the service went to the aid of a man suffering from a heart attack and someone crushed by a lorry.
William's wife, Kate, might have some misgivings about her husband returning to flying.
In the foreword to a book about RAF wives to be published this week, she writes, "I loved my time in Anglesey when William was serving with RAF search and rescue. I cannot pretend that I didn't feel anxious at times when William was on shift in howling gales, knowing that he was out flying in extremely challenging conditions, but he loved doing it and I always felt incredibly proud of him".
William is taking what palace aides have described as "a transitional year".
Along with helping to bring up his son George, he attended a 10-week land management course at Cambridge University and launched his United for Wildlife charity, which campaigns against illegal hunting