Flying Princes, Royal Scandal and Druggie Rockers

LONDON, April 16, 2008 — -- Less than a week after being certified as a pilot, Britain's Prince William took to the skies, flying a $20 million RAF (Royal Air Force) helicopter to his cousin's three-day bachelor party in the Isle of Wight.

The news made it to the front page of the U.K. tabloid The Daily Mail, which revealed that the prince — second in line to the throne — also made a pit-stop in London to pick up his younger brother, Harry.

The pair then spent the next three days touring the island's clubs and pubs and, according to one eyewitness quoted by the Mail, even daring a girl in one pub to bare her breasts.

When news of the prince's unusual trip leaked out, the RAF defended it as "legitimate training" for teaching the young man how to fly over water.

But members of parliament did not react so well, with many criticizing the RAF for allowing the young royal to use the Chinook as a de facto taxi service, especially at a time when British troops in Afghanistan are facing a shortage of such helicopters.

Drugs During Detox

The tabloid The Sun led with an exclusive look at rocker Pete Doherty's jail cell. Doherty, 29, is perhaps best-known for his on-and-off relationship with British supermodel and tabloid staple Kate Moss.

He was sent to jail last week for three and a half months after he failed to take court-ordered drug tests.

The Sun today claimed that the singer was shooting up heroin during his stint in the prison's detox unit. The newspaper quoted a fellow inmate saying that "Pete always has a need to feed his habit."

Doctors have been giving the singer the heroin substitute methadone to get him off drugs, but judging from today's report, those efforts seem to be in vain.

Doherty "hasn't received his prison wage yet so he's getting the drugs on credit and writing IOUs," according to the inmate quoted by The Sun.

The inmate also said that prison officers have been treating the rocker like a star, asking for his autograph.

Married Royals Indulging in Gay Sex

Doherty's story is not the most lurid among today's tabloid headlines.