Prince William was criticized for taking a helicopter to see his girlfriend Kate Middleton at her parent’s home.  The prince landed the 90-foot chopper in a field behind the house sparking local tabloids criticism.

The News of the World called the 25-year-old royal a “show off” and claimed the incident sparked “outrage.” Other news sources said the helicopter landing was a waste of taxpayer’s money.

The Ministry of Defense released a statement on Monday defending the prince and saying that it was all apart of his Royal Air Force training. “This was very much a routine training sortie that achieved essential training objectives. [It] was fully authorized and planned and was an agreed part of Prince William’s attachment to the RAF,” said the statement.