Plane Previously Used by British Royalty Forced to Turn Around Due to Damaged Windows

High-powered lights from previous day's filming caused window damage; no injuries reported among crew and passengers

The plane, an Airbus A321 previously used by British royalty, was forced to turn around during a flight from London to Orlando due to damaged and missing windowpanes. The cabin was reported to be noisier and colder than usual.
The damage was discovered when a passenger noticed a loud noise and saw that a window seal was flapping and the windowpane appeared to have slipped down. The plane had reached an altitude of 14,500 feet before the crew decided to return to London Stansted Airport.
Investigators believe the damage was caused by high-powered lights used by a film crew the day before the flight. The lights were shined on the plane for about four hours, causing thermal damage and distortion to the windows.
Despite the damage, the plane remained normally pressurized throughout the 36-minute flight and there were no injuries reported among the 11 crew members and nine passengers, all of whom were employees of a tour company or the aircraft’s operating company.
The plane had previously carried Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before it was converted for commercial use in September. The incident has prompted a warning for aircraft operators to consider the hazards posed when planes are used for filming and other purposes.