Prince William admits he broke major royal rules on beach trip – hours after avoiding Prince Harry

Prince William admitted he broke a royal rule today when he visited a world-famous beach in Cornwall.

The prince, who is also the Duke of Cornwall, paid a visit to Fistral Beach just hours after his estranged brother Prince Harry was in Britain for an appearance at St Paul’s Cathedral for his Invictus Games. During the visit, William said he was desperate to put on his wetsuit and go out in the ocean, but remained dressed and shoed as he had official duties.

However, he made one little boy’s day when he secretly signed his cast and said: “Shhh, don’t tell anyone. I’m not meant to do this!” Nine-year-old Phoenix Kanes cheekily stopped the prince and asked if he would sign the cast on his broken arm.

William smiled good-naturedly and agreed, but told the young man that he was not meant to do this. Last year at the Chelsea Flower Show, his wife Kate revealed she was not allowed to sign her name on some drawings made by schoolchildren, saying it was one of those rules – although she did do a little drawing for them. King Charles has also been known to reject such requests, once politely telling fans: “I’m sorry, I can’t afford to do that.”

Elsewhere on the beach, William met with representatives of local organizations working to promote sea and beach safety ahead of the coming summer months. William spent a few minutes chatting to staff and children from Holywell Bay and Newquay Surf Life Saving Clubs, who train and support volunteers to save lives and prevent drowning in open water.

The prince, who regularly holidayed with his brother Harry in Cornwall when they were younger and can surf well by all accounts, said looking around the beach and turquoise water: “It brings it all back. I want put on a wetsuit and get out now!”

He also stopped to speak to children learning lifesaving techniques as part of the Holywell Bay Surf Life Saving Club – and although beach volleyball hadn’t been part of his planned activities for the day, the heir to the throne couldn’t resist stop. and asking if he can join.

He was given the ball and showed it wasn’t his first time playing as he hit three killer serves. He chivalrously decided to hand the ball to another member of his team after that and played in the back row. Crowds flocked to take a selfie with the prince, which he happily obliged. He was also touched that 11-year-old Harriet Fox-Furness gave him and Kate a card from Truro’s house.

Earlier, he visited a Duchy of Cornwall housing project at Nansledan in Newquay, aimed at providing a home for homeless people. The scheme – in partnership with Cornish charity St Petrocs – will see 24 homes built on Ducat land for people experiencing homelessness.

As well as having somewhere to live, the project will provide full support and is inspired by Homewards – a five-year program run by the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Royal Foundation to show that ending homelessness is possible. Construction is scheduled to begin in September, with the first homes due to be completed next fall.