Prince William shares Princess Charlotte's favourite joke on surprise school visit
Prince William sharing Princess Charlotte's favourite joke to schoolchildren during a surprise visit in Sandwell
The Prince of Wales revealed Princess Charlotte's favourite joke to a 12-year-old boy during a surprise school visit in Sandwell.
Prince William surprised 12-year-old Freddie Hadley when he visited St Michael's Church of England High School in Rowley Regis on Thursday.
Freddie wrote to William in October, inviting him to the school on World Mental Health Day. William replied, saying: "I’m here now, your letter worked."
Prince William shared Princess Charlotte’s favourite joke during a recording for the student radio.
He joined the Matrix Project which was set up to shine a spotlight on male mental health with an 'Am I Man Enough? campaign.
The school radio show has a segment on 'Dad jokes' and asked the Prince to contribute one.
Prince William said: "I'm kind of trying to channel Jack Whitehall, because most of his jokes are pretty dad-like."
The royal then told a knock-knock joke about 'Interrupting Cow', saying that it is Princess Charlotte's favourite, before adding it's "one I hear a lot at home at the moment".
William said “knock knock” and when the pupils said “who’s there” the royal replied “Interrupting cow” and as the group tried to say “interrupting cow who?” he made them laugh by saying “Mooo”.
The Prince of Wales surprised students at a school in Rowley Regis on Thursday, as ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship reports
Freddie posted his letter on X, formerly Twitter, on World Mental Health Day last October telling the royal about the brilliant work he and his friends were doing.
To his delight, William personally replied, writing: "Good afternoon Freddie, I'm so sorry Catherine and I can't be with you and the rest of the students at St Michael's today.
"Tackling mental health challenges and stigmas head on is so important, please keep up this important work. W."
But Freddie's letter clearly had a deeply moving effect on the prince, who asked his team to secretly arrange a visit to the school next time he was planning public engagements in the West Midlands.
Freddie said after the royal visit: “I really wanted to write the letter because I know Prince William is a massive advocate for male mental health. I thought if I wrote the letter to him he might recognise us, which he did on Twitter.”
“I completely thought it was the Lord Lieutenant who was coming today. Obviously, it was a great surprise so I understand why they didn’t tell me, but honestly it’s just been wonderful.
“I couldn’t get my head around it, I’m meeting Prince William the future king – it’s insane really. I’m just standing there and I see Prince William walking down the drive and I’m like, wow, all this work’s finally paid off.”
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