Prince William’s former flight instructor dies after battle with rare cancer

Prince William’s former flight instructor, Flight Sergeant Zach Stubbings, has passed away at the age of 47 after a long battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer linked to prolonged exposure to toxic helicopter fumes.

A dedicated RAF serviceman and father of three, Stubbings spent nearly a decade inhaling exhaust fumes from Sea King helicopters during his tenure in the RAF Search and Rescue unit. His diagnosis came in 2013, thirteen years after joining the force.

Stubbings played a crucial role in training the Prince of Wales between 2010 and 2013 at RAF Valley in Anglesey, where Prince William piloted the very same Sea King aircraft.

His passing was recently confirmed by former Navy commander Richard Sutton, who revealed that Stubbings spent his final weeks in hospice care before succumbing to his illness last month.