The Yorkshire Air Ambulance was given Royal assent yesterday when the Duke of York flew to Leeds-Bradford airport to visit the charity's headquarters.

During his visit Prince Andrew, a former Royal Navy pilot, was made an honorary chief pilot for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity.

The announcement about the royal appointment was made at the charity's headquarters based at the Yeadon airport.

The Prince was there to officially open the charity's new state-of-the-art computerised air desk system and was given a tour of the operational facilities.

Prince Andrew met staff and talked to people who had been rescued by the Yorkshire Air ambulance and some of its funders.

Prince Andrew said: "The idea of being honorary chief pilot is one that I accept with great pleasure.

"It is difficult to find a way to describe the work and the value of the air ambulance except, quite simply, that it can deliver people to hospital within the golden hour when it is most needed.

"The work these people do is incalculable and invaluable to people who are patients."

As if to demonstrate the words of the Prince, in the time that he was at the air base the helicopter was called out three times to separate incidents in our region.

The Prince, himself a skilled pilot who fought in the Falklands War, joked with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance pilot that he would be back to test his flying skills in the future.

Martin Eede, chief executive of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity, said that the appointment of the Prince was invaluable to the charity and that his visit would greatly boost its profile.

Mr Eede said: "The Prince insisted when we were told about his visit that everything remain operational here."

Two of Bradford's biggest donors to the charity also met Prince Andrew and talked about why they support the organisation.

Mumtaz Khan, chairman of the Mumtaz restaurant chain, was meeting the Prince for the second time.

He said: "I am excited to be involved with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and to be meeting the Prince again. This is the charity that my chain of restaurants will continue to support because it enables me to do my part in helping to save lives."

Sarah Berry, finance director for Sovereign Health Care, was also there to talk about the £100,000 that her company helped raise for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.