Prince William Gets Punched in the Face by Overly-Enthusiast Fan During Walkabout
Prince William has done countless walkabouts over the years, but he got a reaction he wasn’t expecting from one fan during a trip to Belfast.
The Prince of Wales was in Northern Ireland to launch Homewards, which is his new project aimed to end homelessness, when he received a punch and face pat from a person in the crowd.
Prince William was greeted with hugs, handshakes, and a punch
Prince William was doing a walkabout for the many fans who lined Newtownards Road as he left the Skainos community center.
The prince gave out several hugs as one woman, Norma Vance, exclaimed: “I got a hug and he smells beautiful!” Another woman, Sandra Llewelyn, told him: “You’re more than lovely in real life, handsome.”
William also shook dozens of hands, but one man wanted more than just a handshake and decided to really reach out and touch the future king.
Express noted that “The fan appeared to jokingly punch William’s face and also attempted to pat him on the cheek.”
The publication added that it was “likely meant in a playful greeting. William looked completely unphased by the interaction, with images documenting the encounter showing the royal smiling and chatting to the man. Other fans surrounding the pair could be seen smiling and laughing at the exchange.”
Prince William’s plan to end homelessness is a 5-year project
In June, the prince launched his Homewards five-year project to end homelessness in the United Kingdom. It will be following the example of Finland, which is one European country that has virtually eliminated homelessness.
William’s late mother, Princess Diana, inspired his mission after she took him and Prince Harry to visit a homeless shelter when they were children. The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge has continued to work with several homeless charities over the years. And in 2009, William slept outside for a night on a cardboard box near a bridge in freezing temperatures of around 25 degrees to get a real understanding of teenage homelessness and everything they have to deal with.
“I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London’s streets night after night,” the prince said following that experience. “I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets.”
In a statement to the Associated Press, William acknowledged that his new Homewards project is “a big task, but I firmly believe that by working together it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief, and unrepeated, and I am very much looking forward to working with our six locations to make our ambition a reality.”
