www.thepittsburghchannel.com Prince William: Flight Officer, Man o' the World image:39303:2::0

Britain's Prince William is taking heat for landing a chopper in girlfriend Kate Middleton's parents' backyard during a training mission:

LONDON - Prince William set down an RAF helicopter at the home of his girlfriend's parents during a training flight earlier this month, a landing that has caused a swirl of controversy in at least one British newspaper.

'The landing on the Middleton family farm on April 3 was planned and authorized as part of the prince's Royal Air Force pilot training, the British Defence Ministry said in a statement Sunday.

'But the News of the World called the exercise wasteful at a time when the military is stretched by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.'

He was already being soundly blasted for flying a Chinook helocopter to a stag party on the Isle of Wight, which a royal source claimed was also training-related:

'Experts reckon the jaunt cost more than £15,000 (US $29,742.01) after taking into account fuel, maintenance and man-hours.

'A senior military source said last night: "This is out of order whichever way you look at it. People will say he is a busy royal, but we are all busy. Other officers do not have the right to fit in their social life around their training - so why the hell should William?

"It just looks like he is taking advantage of his position and shows an appalling example to the other men."

All I can say is: must be nice to be Prince. Ey wot, Guvhuh?