Prince William made a surprise visit to Northern Ireland on Wednesday (04.10.17).
The 35-year-old royal was on his own as he visited Belfast for a day without his wife Duchess Catherine, who is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum as she is pregnant with the couple’s third child.
His first stop was Inspire, a charity and social enterprise which focuses on promoting wellbeing across the island of Ireland.
During that visit, he spoke to former Manchester United player Pat McGibbon, whose brother Philip took his own life in 1993. Pat now runs a football programme in County Armagh to help people build resilience through sport.
Pat said: "It’s very important to him and I can totally understand that. He was very personable in everything he said and it was great for him to give up that time and interact with the adults and the kids."
He also spoke to pupils from Our Lady and St Patrick’s College in Belfast, who are raising awareness about mental health issues.
Nicola McCarry, a teacher at the school, shared: "He asked would this project be across all schools in Northern Ireland, and while there are pockets of very good practice there, I suppose mental health being completely embedded into the curriculum is still a box we have to tick. But he said this is where it starts really. He was very interested in what the young people had to say and their views."
Following that, the Duke of Cambridge – who has Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two, with the Duchess of Cambridge – travelled to the Titanic Quarter and watched as the Lagan Search and Rescue lifeboat service took part in a rescue mission.
After watching the live demonstration, he met with volunteers from the lifeboat service as well as the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service and later attended a private dinner for the Irish Guards Association.
Prince William’s surprise visit to Belfast
