The 74-year-old monarch recalled struggling to fly a Shackleton bomber when he was younger and spoke to Bomber Command veterans about their experiences of flying missions over enemy territory. 

“Being shot at all the time,” he said. “The horror of it.”

The King also met 100-year-old George Pritchard, a pilot in the RAF’s Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, who went on to develop the cardiac pacemaker in a career in medical electronics after the war. 

“We had the highest rate of attrition in the war. A lot of my comrades were murdered in France, shot as spies on Hitler’s orders, after being shot down,” he said.

The King also spoke with Eddie Habberley, also 100, and a Spitfire pilot who flew in Burma.

The monarch sympathised with Mr Habberley. 

“My great uncle Lord Mountbatten got you to fly in the Monsoon period,” he said to the veteran, who pulled a face and later recalled that three of his squadron were killed during that period. 

“Bet you got tossed about a bit in the plane,” said the King. “It’s hard enough being shot at.”