Prince William admits he wears a 'disguise' to ride motorbikes

"The bikes are all laid out," the prince remarked while carrying an umbrella through the wet conditions.

Mr Gourlay acknowledged William's well-known enthusiasm for two-wheeled transport, noting: "I know you're a keen biker as well."

"I love a bike," William responded. "I do still ride now and again, quietly". While nodding, he added: "Disguise."

The prince enquired about the age of the motorcycles on show, learning they were approximately two years old, before spending time chatting with the assembled volunteers.

During a light-hearted moment, William noticed an elderly patient watching from a ground-floor window nearby and exchanged waves and thumbs-up with him, joking that he had chosen a "really rubbish day" for the visit.

The prince then removed tape from the side of a new Ford Kuga to unveil its name: Prince William. Norfolk Blood Bikes assigns names to all its vehicles, partly because it proves simpler than remembering registration numbers.

The Prince and Princess of Wales funded the car privately last year, and it has since joined the charity's fleet of fully branded vehicles that primarily operate during overnight hours and weekends to transport essential medical supplies across Norfolk and surrounding areas.

According to Mr Gourlay, the organisation now operates a fleet comprising 18 motorcycles and seven cars, with the newly donated Ford Kuga being the latest addition.

The vehicles assist with larger blood deliveries and offer a safer option compared to motorcycles during winter weather conditions.

When selecting a name for the new car, several suggestions were put forward by the charity, including Hercules – a nod to William being "a massive Aston Villa fan" whose club mascot bears that name.

However, the charity ultimately settled on naming the vehicle after the prince himself.

The car was put into service immediately following the unveiling, transporting blood supplies from the hospital to the East Anglian Air Ambulance facility located at Norwich Airport.

William joined rider and trainer Andy Plane in the front passenger seat as they drove the blood supplies to the air ambulance base.

Following the journey, Mr Plane described the prince as genuinely curious about the charity's work, saying: "He was very interested in everything we do."

The pair discussed motorcycles during the trip, with Mr Plane revealing they had "normal biker talk" about William's current ride – an electric bike with what the prince described as phenomenal power.

Mr Plane observed that wearing a motorcycle helmet makes riders "more anonymous."

The prince has maintained a lifelong passion for motorcycles. During a 2018 visit to the Isle of Man TT race festival, he revealed he previously owned a Ducati 1209 before switching to a less powerful model from the same manufacturer, and that he and his brother, the Duke of Sussex, used to ride scramblers together, "basically try and hit each other."

William also encountered Lennon Hayes, a 22-year-old from Norwich whose life was saved by the East Anglian Air Ambulance team following a serious accident in 2023.

Mr Hayes explained he had been travelling home on an e-scooter after finishing work as a pub manager when a car struck him, leaving him in a coma for six weeks.

The air ambulance crew administered blood at the scene, and Mr Hayes credited both the air ambulance and blood bike workers with saving his life.

William, who served as an East Anglian Air Ambulance pilot between 2015 and 2017, reflected: "No family thinks they need the air ambulance until they do need it."

Mr Hayes described the prince as "such a down-to-earth guy, just so easy to talk to," adding he would remember their meeting "for the whole of my life."