Prince William on Thursday morning made a surprise visit to a school in Rowley Regis, Sandwell, on an invitation to see their mental health initiatives.
Last year in October, 12-year-old Freddie Hadley posted a letter on X on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, informing the royal about the outstanding projects undertaken by the students of Michael’s Church of England High School.
Reacting to the letter, the Prince of Wales issued an apology, stating that "Catherine and I can’t be with you and the rest of the students at St Michael’s today." He however, stressed that it is crucial to address mental health issues.
As Prince was moved by Freddie's letter, he made a surprise visit to the school and indulged deep conversation with Freddie.
Congratulating Freddie on his initiative, Prince said: “Well done you, I'm here now.”
“Your letter worked,” he added, drawing jeers from the other attendees.
{{/usCountry}}“Your letter worked,” he added, drawing jeers from the other attendees.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Kate Middleton, Prince William throw ‘private party’ for Prince Louis' 6th birthday
Prince William shares Princess Charlotte's favourite joke
Prince then appeared on the school radio station with Freddie and other students and the father-of-three requested to share a “dad joke”, Daily Mail reported.
He started with Princess Charlotte's favourite joke. "I'm kind of trying to channel Jack Whitehall, because most of his jokes are pretty dad-like," the Prince said.
During the conversation, William disclosed that he had never planned to focus on mental health as his most ardent cause when he started working for the royal family. He said he was more interested in homelessness, depression and addiction.
Also Read: King Charles bestows new titles for Kate Middleton and Prince William
Prince William praises Freddie and his friends
Upon bidding Freddie and his fellow classmates a royal farewell, the Prince of Wales shared pictures from the visit on X and remarked, "It all started with a letter."
"Great to see this inspiring mental health project in action. Well done to Freddie and friends for the incredible efforts they are making in nurturing their emotional wellbeing," he wrote.
Notably, William is participating in a "royal away day" for the first time Kate Williams made her cancer diagnosis public.
Meanwhile, several netizens reacted to Prince William's post, with one saying, “You made Freddie’s dream come true. You are a good role model and inspiration to the young ones! Well done! Sending love from the US!”
“So happy William kept his promise. I had forgotten about that letter but clearly Prince William didn’t,” another X user added.
St. Michael's, which focuses on mental health and wellness, received gold standard award by the Carnegie Center of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools in May 2022.
In 2012, the school introduced "Student Voice," a group of up to 100 students that get together to create projects ranging from mental health to fundraising, including interacting with senior citizens.