Kate Middleton in fits of giggles as she tries on a lifejacket at Royal Navy base in Somerset

The Princess of Wales rocked business chic as she arrived at a naval base in Somerset this morning/afternoon – before erupting in giggles as she tried on a lifejacket during an exercise.

Kate, 41, donned a £549 black blazer from Holland Cooper which she has worn previously, with gold button detailing, paired with trousers and £650 black pumps with a thick heel from Gianvito Rossi as she visited the Royal Navy Air Station in Yeovilton.

The Princess, who is commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm as of last month, styled her long, thick brunette locks in bouncy blow-dried waves, with her new 70s-style fringe framing her face perfectly. Showcasing her natural beauty, the mother-of-three kept make up simple with a touch of blush, a nude lip and a bronze eye and she accessorised with white topaz Kiki McDonough teardrop earrings.

While visiting an aircraft hangar, the mother-of-three fell about laughing while trying on an emergency lifejacket and inflating it as she wore it around her neck. Elsewhere in her visit, she chatted with personnel in the air traffic control tower.

Pictured trying on an inconspicuous-looking camouflage lifejacket, the Princess beamed but looked a little apprehensive as she prepared to inflate the device.

As she pulled on the toggle, she closed her eyes and winced as the device inflated quickly and with force, just as it would in an emergency situation.

Appearing a little taken aback by the fast inflation, Princess Kate burst into a fit of giggles, before staff aided her in removing the lifejacket.

Upon arrival at the naval base, the Princess was pictured shaking hands with staff members in the tower, where staff work hard to ensure the safe operation of RNAS Yeovilton.

The Princess couldn’t help but giggle as she inflated a lifejacket while visiting a hangar at the base

The Princess fell about laughing while testing out the lifejacket, pulling on the toggle to inflate it

Kate chatted with personnel in the hangar as she learnt about how they ensure the running of the naval base is safe and smooth

A staff member came to the Princess’s aid with the inflated lifejacket to help her remove it

As Princess Kate demonstrated the lifejacket, she looked a little restricted in her movements

Kate appeared a little taken aback by the speed and force with which the lifejacket inflated, while staff watched on to make sure she was doing so safely

Kate beamed but looked a little apprehensive before pulling the toggle to inflate the lifejacket 

An officer with the surname Evans-Hughes demonstrated how to pull the toggle on the lifejacket before Kate gave it a go herself

Personnel at the base instructed the Princess on how best to put on the lifejacket nefore she inflated it

Princess Kate put her arms in the camouflage lifejacket which looked inconspicuous before it was inflated

The mother-of-three wore her thick brunette locks down and in bouncy curls

Kate couldn’t help but let out a giggle as she prepared to don the lifejacket and test it out

An officer led the Princess to a station where she would try on a lifejacket 

The Princess of Wales arrived in a hangar on the base where she took a look at some of the models of aircraft 

For the first stop on her visit to the Royal Navy Air Base, the Princess was pictured wearing a headset in the air traffic control tower

The Princess visited the cockpit of an aircraft where she appeared deep in conversation with a pilot about the inner workings of the aircraft

Princess Kate, a mother of three, donned block navy heels to match her elegant outfit, layering the blazer over a white top

After a morning of gloomy weather the sun came out for the Princess, who is commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm

While there, she had the chance to communicate with the crew members onboard an airborne Wildcat flight. 

Footage from within the tower showed the Princess concentrating on the landing strip outside while wearing a headset. She was accompanied by an officer who was communicating with the airborne crews.

She was then shown around the hangar where she met personnel to discuss the different operations that take place within the Fleet Air Arm. 

Last month, the King appointed Princess Kate as commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm, a position previously held by Prince Andrew. 

Her solo visit comes as her husband, Prince William, prepares to fly to New York later this afternoon where he has a busy week of engagements in New York Climate Week, ahead of events surrounding this year’s Earthshot Prize.

After landing in Newark Airport in the city this evening, the Prince of Wales, 41, will visit the Billion Oyster Project, which is running an initiative to restore oyster reefs in the New York Harbour.

The project collaborates with local schools and brings in pupils to solve the challenges faced in the battle for climate conservation. 

Following this visit, the Prince will head to the UN General Assembly where he is due to meet with António Guterres, the UN Secretary General. 

Tomorrow, William will attend the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit ahead of this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony, which will take place in November.