Prince William secretly flew to Kandahar

LONDON, April 30 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince William secretly flew a C-17 military transport from England to Afghanistan to visit troops on the front line, royal officials said.

William visited British forces in Kandahar for about three hours Monday, The Daily Telegraph said. British royalty gave the prince permission to visit the troops but only under media blackout, the newspaper said Wednesday.

William earned his Royal Air Force wings in early April and the eight-hour trip from Oxfordshire to Kandahar was his longest flight to date.

His brother, Prince Harry, was withdrawn from active duty in Afghanistan in February.