It was me... Mystery pilot who left tribute in the skies over Sandringham, as the Queen and Royal Family gathered on Christmas Day, is revealed

Is it a bird, is it a plane - or a pilot's tribute to Prince George high in the skies above Sandringham. Picture: Chris Bishop (Image: Archant)

Aerobatic flier Mark Jefferies drew greetings across the skies as thousands of well-wishers greeted the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other Royals on Wednesday.

Mr Jefferies and his sky-writing aircraft. (Image: Archant)

'I'm a bit of a royalist, I do appreciate what they do,' he said. 'It was just a smiley face, a bit of joy on Christmas Day.'

Mr Jefferies, 54, said he hoped to leave a heart thousands of feet above the crowd in the clear sky, after completing a pair of kisses, but was caught out by the weather.

'The wind at altitude distorted the shape somewhat,' he said. 'You do sky writing two miles high, at 11,000ft. It's vapourised baby oil, so it's environmentally-friendly.'

Mr Jefferies said it took his 200mph Extra330 stunt plane around 16 minutes to fly to Sandringham from his base at Little Gransden Airfield, on the Bedfordshire - Cambridgeshire border. He said the trip cost him £1,200 in aviation fuel - plus £50-worth of baby oil.

After gaining a pilot's licence at the age of 21, he flew as a hobby until sky-writing turned into a business.

'I do quite a few shows for weddings, doing hearts and kisses.'

Mr Jefferies' high-altitude appearence drew gasps from the crowd as his aircraft appeared over West Newton. It soon became clear his intentions were peaceful, as a huge smiley face appeared.

His stunt was not the only light-hearted moment of the day. Laughter broke out when Peter Phillips, the Princess Royal's son, made rabbit's ears behind Prince William, as he and Prince Harry posed for a photo for a group of well-wishers waiting outside church.