Prince William has returned to the royal duties ahead of attending Pope Francis’ funeral on father King Charles behalf.
On April 24, the Prince of Wales visited the Mentivity House on the Aylesbury Estate near Elephant and Castle to spend time with young leaders.
During the outing, he also met a lot of fans including one enthusiastic resident named Oluwaseyi Soyebo-Idowu, 50.
She gave a hug to William, noting, "Let me give you a hug. I see a Prince! A King of England!"
He replied, "Do you want to come on the visit as well? Are we going to go around together?"
Another fan asked for a selfie, to which Charles’ eldest son responded, "Go for it, you've got to be quick."
He also played football game with a group of teenagers, a friendly match between his team, Aston Villa, and Bayern Munich.
Before losing 2-0, William surrendered to the young players, "I'll only be ten seconds, I'm terrible at this.”
Prince William issues first statement after returning to royal duties:
After concluding the solo outing, Prince William shared a poignant message on his Instagram.
He wrote, “Great to be at Mentivity House in South London and to see how it provides a safe and inspiring space for young people. As an organisation built on trust, listening, and a deep understanding of local needs, @mentivity is an outstanding example of what’s possible when those at the grassroots are empowered.”
The Prince of Wales also shared another post, noting, "Witnessing how young people from the local community are being supported and heard through the work of @mentivity Mentivity in South London."
For those unversed, Prince William is set to attend the funeral service of Pope Francis. The late pontiff passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88.
