LONDON (AFP) - Prince William was defended by Britain's Ministry of Defence Sunday after landing a Royal Air Force helicopter at his girlfriend's house during a training session.

William, second in line to the throne, landed a Chinook helicopter -- used for transporting troops in Iraq and Afghanistan -- in a field owned by Kate Middleton's parents which is next to their home.

The MoD said the exercise, first reported in the News of the World newspaper, was an agreed part of his training as an RAF pilot and gave him the chance to practice a skill essential to flying in combat zones.

William received his wings from father Prince Charles Friday after a faster-than-usual training course.

This was a few days after reports that he flew a military helicopter to his cousin's stag party, stopping to pick up brother Prince Harry en route.

In a statement, the MoD said the latest landing on April 3 had been "fully authorised."

"Battlefield helicopter crews routinely practice landing in fields and confined spaces away from their airfields as a vital part of their training for operations," it said.

"These highly honed skills are used daily in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan."

It added that after the helicopter landed, it was on the ground for 20 seconds and no-one got on or off. The exercise was "a routine training sortie that achieved essential training objectives," the MoD said.

The News of the World reported that Middleton and her parents watched from the house as William performed the manoeuvre.

The prince was based at an RAF base in Hampshire, southern England, 16 miles (26 kilometres) from their house when the incident took place, the paper said.

William, the 25-year-old son of the late Diana, princess of Wales, first met Middleton when the two were students at Saint Andrews University in Scotland.

They briefly split up last year but reunited a few months later. There is fevered speculation in the British press that the couple will soon announce their engagement.

Source: AFP