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Man who asked Prince William to sing 'Purple Rain' after mistaking him for singer Prince pens apology letter
Prince William interacted with the man, 22-year-old Sebastian Smith, during a royal visit to a local cafe in Ilminster.
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A 22-year-old Somerset man who mistook the Prince of Wales for pop star Prince has sent him an apology letter. Sebastian Smith, an adult with severe learning difficulties, met Prince William during a royal visit to a café earlier this month. Days later, Prince William shared the amusing encounter during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. Following this, Smith’s family helped him write to the prince to clarify the mix-up and thank him for his visit.
The heartwarming encounter:
Prince William, while appearing on the popular chat show on October 23, told the story of how he was once mistaken for singer Prince. However, the royal didn’t reveal the person's name or where it happened.
“I went to a place in Somerset and was looking around some of the local communities there, and one lovely gentleman looked up at me from his seat and said, ‘When are you going to sing?’” the prince said.
He admitted to being confused initially. He recalled, “I’ve had many requests over many years from all ranging parts of society, and I said, ‘I’m sorry, what do you mean?’”
William added, “He goes, ‘When are you going to sing your performance?’ and the lady behind tapped his arm and went, ‘No, no, he’s not that prince.’ ”
Turns out the man mistook him for the American singer and songwriter Prince. The royal, smiling, added that the man wanted him to sing "Purple Rain". In the show, the prince also revealed that there was a phase when he thought he would be a DJ and decided on the stage name "DJ Xara".
Also Read: Prince William says he once wanted to become a policeman, then a DJ called 'DJ Xara’
The sweet apology:
After the episode aired, Smith’s family came forward. “To be honest, I don’t think Sebastian had any idea who Prince William was — but he’s a massive fan of Prince the singer and can list all his songs and knows all the lyrics,” Smith’s mother Claire told the Sun.
She continued, “Considering his learning difficulties, it is amazing,” adding, “So when Prince William arrived at Sweet Surprise, Sebastian assumed it was Prince the singer!”
The woman continued that she and the other members of the family helped Smith write a letter to Prince William.
She explained, “In it, he thanks William for visiting and has apologised for mistaking him for Prince. We hope he sees it.”
Prince William interacted with Smith while visiting Sweet Surprise café in Ilminster, Somerset, on October 6. The place provides workplace training for adults with learning disabilities.
Smith’s family revealed that he has Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. It is a rare genetic disorder which can affect an individual’s growth and intellectual development.
