Prince William starts new air ambulance job

Prince William is back to work, and already missing his little prince and princess at home.

That is, he started his new civilian job on Monday, flying emergency rescue helicopters for East Anglian Air Ambulance, according to Kensington Palace officials.

For the occasion, Will met the media at the airport and posed in his yellow jacket in front of his huge yellow chopper.

And he answered questions about — what else — his two kids, Prince George, soon-to-be-2, and just-christened Princess Charlotte, whom he described as "fantastic" and a "little joy of heaven."

He described energetic toddler George as something else in detailing the challenges of juggling parenthood, royal duties and flying.

He said it was tough to leave his family behind for nine-hour-plus shifts, and he remembered to heap praise on his wife, Duchess Kate.

"But at the same time, it is more responsibility looking after two little ones, especially when George is around — he's a little monkey," he said. "It's fantastic having a lovely little family; I'm so thrilled. Catherine has been doing an amazing job as a mother, and I'm very proud of her."

The Duke of Cambridge, 33, said he was a little nervous on his first day, because he takes his civilian job as seriously as his royal job.

"I feel doing a job like this really helps me to be grounded and that's the core of what I'm trying to become," he said. "I'm trying to be a good guy, to do what I can and trying to be a decent individual."

He was on duty almost immediately: He and his crewmates responded to a first emergency call at 9:20 a.m, local time.

Will, who also flew rescue helicopters during his time in the RAF, will be based out of Cambridge Airport and serve as part of a team that includes doctors, paramedics and pilots providing emergency medical services across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

His new job is closer to the Cambridge country retreat, Anmer Hall, where the family has been living mostly since Charlotte was born on May 2 in London.

While this is expected to be his primary job, he'll still carry out his royal duties and responsibilities, both in the U.K. and overseas, palace official said.

As previously announced, Will plans to donate his estimated $$60,000-a-year salary to charity.

Contributing: The Associated Press