LONDON — Britain's Prince William is due to take his final flight as an air ambulance pilot Thursday, as the second-in-line to the throne prepares to take on more royal duties to support his 91-year-old grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. 
 
 William, 35, has spent two years flying medevac missions for the East Anglia Air Ambulance in southeast England. Previous to this he served for seven years in the Royal Air Force, gaining his wings in 2008 and working as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot from 2009 to 2013. 
 
 But after more than a decade living a relatively normal life, the royal family announced in January that William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, would step up their royal duties. 
 
 "I wanted to say thank you to my colleagues, team mates and the people of East Anglia who I have been so proud to serve." — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 27, 2017 
 
 The move comes as William's grandfather, Prince Philip, is set to retire in the fall. The 96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh is a highly visible royal, carrying out 336 official appearances in 2016 to William's 204 in the same year. 
 
 The palace has afforded William a great degree of freedom to have a regular job and live with his family at Anmer Hall, a country house in Norfolk, near to where the East Anglia Air Ambulance is based. 
 
 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge starts his final shift with the East Anglian Air Ambulance based out of Marshall Airport on July 27, 2017 near Cambridge, England. Heathcliff O'Malley / Pool via Getty Images 
 
 Speaking to NBC News when Prince Philip announced his retirement, Gordon Rayner, who spent seven years as royal correspondent for Britain's Daily Telegraph, said William has been shielded from royal duties in order to allow him to bring up his family in private. 
 
 "William has a young family and it [being monarch] is a huge burden," Rayner said. "William has already been seen by some as a reluctant royal and Charles will want to be able to allow him to bring up his children as privately as possible behind closed doors." 
 
 Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte on the tarmac of the Airbus compound in Hamburg, Germany on on July 21,2017. Patrik Stollarz / AFP - Getty Images file 
 
 But despite Anmer Hall remaining the couple's official residence, the royals announced they will be spending more time at Kensington Palace — their official London residence — when William leaves his post. Four-year-old Prince George will also begin school in London in September, after previously attending a Montessori preschool in Norfolk. 
 
 "Their Royal Highnesses are keen to continue to increase their official work on behalf of The Queen and for the charities and causes they support, which will require greater time spent in London. Prince George will begin school in London in September and Princess Charlotte will also go to nursery and eventually school in London as well," a royal press statement read in January. 
 
 The Duke of Cambridge will complete his last shift as an air ambulance helicopter pilot with the @EastAngliAirAmb this evening. pic.twitter.com/x8mbgNJlZU — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 27, 2017 
 
 Speaking in January William said: "It has been a huge privilege to fly with the East Anglia Air Ambulance. Following on from my time in the military, I have had experiences in this job I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that will add a valuable perspective to my Royal work for decades to come. 
 
 "I would like to thank the people of East Anglia for being so supportive of my role and for letting me get on with the job when they have seen me in the community or at our region's hospitals. I would especially like to thank all of my colleagues at EAAA, Babcock, and Cambridge Airport for their friendship and support. I have loved being part of a team of professional, talented people that save lives every day. My admiration for our country's medical and emergency services community could not be any stronger." ||||| Prince William has spoken from the heart about serving as an air ambulance helicopter pilot ahead of his final shift today. 
 
 He paid an emotional tribute to his colleagues at the East Anglian Air Ambulance service and spoke of his "profound respect" for the work they do. 
 
 He has also described some of the harrowing experiences his job involved that will live with him forever. 
 
 Today the future King praises the work of doctors and paramedics who he says he has watched "save people's lives." 
 
 William said he had "profound respect" for the work of his colleagues (Reuters) 
 
 As William hangs up his flight suit, he said he is "proud" to have served with such an incredible team of people, who save lives across the East Anglian region every day. 
 
 Writing in the Eastern Daily Press, William said "As I arrive for work at East Anglian Air Ambulance this evening, my last shift with this incredible team, I wanted to say thank you to my colleagues, team mates and the people of East Anglia who I have been so proud to serve. 
 
 Prince William pictured in the cockpit of an Airbus helicopter with son George (AFP) 
 
 He went on, "Over the past two years I have met people from across the region who were in the most desperate of circumstances. 
 
 "As part of the team, I have been invited into people's homes to share moments of extreme emotion, from relief that we have given someone a fighting chance, to profound grief. 
 
 "I have watched as incredibly skilled doctors and paramedics have saved people's lives. 
 
 Young Prince George shows his excitement at being shown the inside of a helicopter ( Getty ) 
 
 "These experiences have instilled in me a profound respect for the men and women who serve in our emergency services, which I hope to continue to champion even as I leave the profession. I am hugely grateful for having had this experience. 
 
 The Duke of Cambridge added: "From the moment I joined, when that phone rang at the base for the first time, it was clear that I was a fellow professional, a pilot with a job to do – in such a team there can be no other option, but still I am grateful to my colleagues for accepting me so readily." 
 
 William will complete his final shift with EAAA at Cambridge Airport this evening. 
 
 After his final flight with the EAAA - where he has worked since March 2015 - the future king is expected to spend more time in London so he can take on more duties, including royal visits and charity work. 
 
 Prince William's Pilot Career - In pictures 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17 show all Prince William's Pilot Career - In pictures 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1/17 The Duke of Cambridge in an East Anglian Air Ambulance helicopter in 2016 BBC 
 
 2/17 Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge sits in the cockpit of an helicopter as he begins his new job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) at Cambridge Airport on 13 July 2015 in Cambridge Stefan Rousseau WPA/Pool/Getty Images) 
 
 3/17 Britain's Prince William poses in front of a Sea King helicopter at RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales IN 2013 SAC Faye Storer/MOD/AP 
 
 4/17 Britain's Prince William walks away from his helicopter as he begins his new job as a co-pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) at Cambridge Airport on 13 July 2015 Stefan Rousseau/Pool/Reuters 
 
 5/17 Britain's Prince William is seen at RAF Henlow inNovember 2007 Sgt Graham Spark/Reuters 
 
 6/17 The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William in 2008 piloting a light aircraft around an airfield at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. Rui Vieira/PA 
 
 7/17 Prince William listens to instructor Squadron Leader Roger Bousfield demonstrate a manoeuvre in 2008 as they prepare to go flying while training at airbase RAF Cranwell, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire Rui Vieira/PA 
 
 8/17 Britain's Prince Charles, left, accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, right, walks with his son Prince William, center, after he graduated from the Royal Air Force College at the RAF Cranwell, in Cranwell on 11 April 2008 Lefteris Pitarakis/AP 
 
 9/17 Prince William receiving his RAF wings in 2008 from his father the Prince of Wales at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire Michael Dunlea/Daily Mail/PA 
 
 10/17 A smiling Kate Middleton accompanies Britain's Prince William after he became a pilot of the Royal Air Force in a graduation ceremony held at RAF Cranwell on 11 April 2008 Michael Dunlea/EPA 
 
 11/17 Prince William receiving his certificate in 2010 from Group Captain Jonathan Dixon, after graduating at RAF Valley and successfully completing the final phase of his RAF helicopter flying training to become a fully-qualified Search and Rescue pilot Cpl SAC Faye Storer/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA 
 
 12/17 The Duke of Cambridge standing in a helicopter hanger in 2011 at RAF Valley in Anglesey John Stillwell/PA 
 
 13/17 The Duke of Cambridge undertaking a shift on C Flight 22 Squadron whilst working as a helicopter search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley on Anglesey, Wales in 2012 SAC Faye Storer/MoD/PA 
 
 14/17 Britain's Prince William poses in front of a Sea King helicopter in 2012 at RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales SAC Faye Storer/MoD/AP 
 
 15/17 Prince William at the 60 Squadron Defence helicopter flying school at RAF Shawbury, Shrewsbury in 2012 Ian Forshaw/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA 
 
 16/17 The Duke of Cambridge undertaking a shift on C Flight 22 Squadron in 2012 whilst working as a helicopter search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley on Anglesey, Wales SAC Faye Storer/MoD/PA 
 
 17/17 The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William at the controls of his Sea King helicopter in 2012, as it was announced that he has qualified as an operational search and rescue captain Flight Sergeant Andy Carnall/MoD Crown Copyright/PA 
 
 During his time with the EAAA, William has co-piloted its helicopter and flown missions in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. 
 
 He went on, "At EAAA, our helicopters are airborne within four minutes of getting a call and can reach patients anywhere in the region within 25 minutes. 
 
 "We land in residential gardens, school playing fields, beaches, roadsides,anywhere it is safe to do so. 
 
 "As a pilot, my job is to get the medical team to the patient as quickly and safely as possible, so they can give treatment as soon as possible after injury. 
 
 "We are sent to only one per cent of ambulance call outs, where having a trauma team and getting the hospital to the patient quickly, can mean the difference between life and death. 
 
 "I have watched our medical team perform surgery on a patient within minutes of jumping off the helicopter – their level of skill is astounding. 
 
 "As a pilot at the scene, we will sometimes try and help by coordinating the area around the medical team, carrying their kit and doing whatever it takes to ensure they can focus on their work. 
 
 "It is a joint effort, and every member plays his or her role with great professionalism and dedication. 
 
 "As a team, we travel to some very daunting incidents and we have been though some incredibly tough times together,witnessing some appalling tragedies. 
 
 "One of the first call outs I made was to a young man who had committed suicide; it was an incredibly tough day and had a profound effect on all of us, not least in my determination now to draw attention to this issue. 
 
 "Another rescue that sticks in my mind was to a young man who was involved in a road accident. His uncle in the car with him sadly didn’t survive, and I was sure that from what we were faced with he wouldn’t either – but thanks to the skills of our medical team he is alive today. 
 
 "We were first on scene and in such circumstances we all had to pitch in to fight to save the young man's life. 
 
 "It is days like this, when you know you have made a difference, that give you the determination to keep going.I have seen at first-hand how our doctors, paramedics, police, fire and emergency services teams work together with such skill and professionalism in stressful situations. 
 
 "I have also been very fortunate to work with an organisation which recognises the stress its staff deals with and puts their welfare as such a high priority. 
 
 "You need to be physically and mentally fit to do this job properly and so we are encouraged to talk through the things we have seen, to share the trauma within the team. 
 
 "I now know though that there are things that cannot be unseen and experiences that our first responders deal with on a daily basis that they will carry with them for life. I have the utmost respect for the job that our emergency services carry out, without fuss, on a daily basis. 
 
 "Having had the great good fortune to experience serving the East Anglian Air Ambulance, I would like to finally say thank you to the community who fund, support and keep the air ambulance flying."
– With Prince Philip stepping back, Prince William is stepping up. William took off on his final flight as an air ambulance pilot Thursday as he prepares to take on more royal duties, reports NBC News. Writing in the Eastern Daily Press, per the Evening Standard, William said his experiences with East Anglian Air Ambulance "have instilled in me a profound respect for the men and women who serve in our emergency services, which I hope to continue to champion even as I leave the profession." Britain's royal family announced in January that William would leave his job in Norfolk to fulfill more royal duties. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are now expected to spend more time at Kensington Palace in London, where Prince George will start school in September. They had previously spent the majority of their time at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.