The Prince of Wales has shone a spotlight on young people living in coastal communities today, where he was met by a flock of excited royal watchers – with one dedicated fan even pulling in the future king for an embrace
Prince William was given an exceptionally warm welcome by one fan who appeared to ambush the royal for a hug during a public engagement today.
The Prince of Wales has travelled to North Wales where he has shone a spotlight on young people living in regional coastal communities, and safeguarding their futures. The Prince of Wales previously spent time in the region for several years when serving as a search and rescue helicopter pilot in the RAF.
William arrived to a warm welcome from locals who braved the cold and congregated on the beach to catch a glimpse of the royal. The prince took photos and hugged excited fans as one woman rushed to wrap her arms around the future king. The woman, who was delighted to meet the prince, put her arms around William’s neck and pulled him into a hug. Laughing, William bent down and embraced the well-wisher.
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During his visit, William walked along a beach walk in Colwyn Bay with members of the Marine Conservation Society’s Youth Ocean Network. The network is made up of a team of young people who work with the Marine Conservation Society to help improve youth engagement in marine conservation across the UK.
William then met volunteers and young people who were involved in the Marine Conservation Society’s Hiraeth Yn Y Mor project, where he heard stories of what young people learnt through their work on the project and chat about the ocean’s influence and the importance of spending time by the sea for mental wellbeing.
The prince will also visit an organisation called Youth Shedz in Wales later today, which creates a safe space for young people who might be experiencing challenges such as school exclusion, bullying and other social issues, such as homelessness.
William will visit the organisation’s headquarters in the village of Mochdre and speak to young people who have learned new skills, gained confidence and made a positive impact in their community through the charity.
Following this, the prince will also visit a comedy workshop run by Welsh comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean, the co-founder of Gwneud, Make, Do.
The comedy school was created to allow people across the region to develop their comedic talents and open up more art opportunities, particularly for those from low-income households or living in rural locations.
William will meet aspiring comics and chat to them about the challenges they face in accessing opportunities with the arts in remote coastal areas, before speaking to Pritchard-McLean about the school, which allows children to try new things, such as stand-up, sketch, improvisation, comedy drama and musical comedy.
North Wales holds special memories for Prince William, as he was based at RAF Valley in Anglesey, off the north-west coast of Wales, during a three-year tour with the Search and Rescue Force. He left the armed forces in 2013 but later served as a helicopter pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance before stepping down in July 2017 to focus on his royal duties.
