Kate Middleton, Prince William Spent New Year's Eve Apart
Prince William and his pregnant wife Kate Middleton rang in 2013 from different locations this year.
While the rest of the world celebrated with champagne, the heir to the British throne and Royal Air Force pilot was performing a helicopter search and rescue of a man who had been swept out to sea, according to ABC News.
Alternately, Middleton reportedly spent New Year's Eve at her parents' home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, according to People.com.
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Although Prince William was able to spend Christmas Day with his wife and in-laws there, the 30-year-old maintained his RAF duties during New Year's.
Within the first fifteen minutes of 2013, William and others members of an RAF search and rescue team scrambled to find a 41-year-old man who was lost in the sea near Blackpool, Lancashire.
Unfortunately, the RAF was unable to find the man, and the search had continued into early Wednesday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the rescue effort failed and the coast guard called of its search, according to ABC.
During the 90-minute search, the Duke of Cambridge battled 50 mile-per-hour winds while controlling the helicopter.
Despite the dangers of the job and having to be apart from Middleton, the prince has stated that his duties in the RAF are important to him.
"It's great because you get to go out and save someone's life- hopefully- or at least make a difference to someone when you know they're in trouble," said William during an interview in 2011, according to BBC.
"It's rewarding because every day you come into work and you don't know what's going to happen," he continued. "It's quite exciting. It's unpredictable."
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been married since April 2011. After long-standing rumors, the pair confirmed in December that they are expecting their first child together in 2013.
