Prince William admits he broke major royal rules on Cornwall trip

Prince William has cheekily admitted he broke important royal protocol during his visit to Cornwall’s iconic Fistral Beach. It came just hours after she fended off Prince Harry, who was also in Britain for his Invictus Games event at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Duke of Cornwall expressed his eagerness to swap his formal attire for a wetsuit and hit the waves in Newquay, but duty demanded and he remained fully clothed for his official engagements. However, he couldn’t resist breaking the rules slightly when nine-year-old Phoenix Kanes asked him to sign his cast.

As the Mirror reported, whispering to the boy, William said: “Shhh, don’t tell anyone. I’m not meant to do this!”

Read more: Prince William meets locals on a beach in Cornwall

Read more: Cornish beach awarded ‘Brown Flag’ for being one of the dirtiest

This is not the first time a royal has engaged in such forbidden interactions. Last year, Princess Kate revealed at the Chelsea Flower Show that she was not allowed to autograph children’s drawings, although she did contribute a small doodle. Similarly, King Charles has been known to refuse autograph requests, once explaining to admirers: “I’m sorry, I can’t afford to do that.”

William, Duke of Cornwall was recently spotted on the beach with representatives of local organizations promoting beach safety. He was there to engage with community members and workers ahead of the anticipated summer rush.

⚠️ Want the latest breaking news and top articles about Cornwall first? Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsApp and we’ll send you breaking news and top stories straight to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out anytime you want. If you are curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

In particular, staff and children from Holywell Bay and Newquay Surf Life Saving Clubs, who provide training and support to volunteers who aim to prevent drowning in open water, caught his eye. Given William’s well-known surfing skills, a skill he honed during childhood holidays in Cornwall with his brother Harry, the beachside surroundings brought back fond memories. “It brings everything back. I want to put on a wetsuit and get out there now!” remarked the Prince with nostalgia floating in his voice.

Showing that he is no stranger to the sport, Prince William began to impress onlookers with three phenomenal serves. After this brief display of his athletic prowess, he passed the ball to a team member and retreated to play in the back row.

It attracted a crowd of people, many of whom were eager to take a selfie with the amiable prince, which he happily obliged. An unexpected but heartwarming moment came when 11-year-old Harriet Fox-Furness presented him with a homemade Truro card for him and his wife Kate.

Earlier, he visited a Duchy of Cornwall housing project at Nansledan in Newquay, designed to provide homes for the homeless. The initiative, in collaboration with Cornwall charity St Petrocs, will see 24 homes built on Ducat land for those experiencing homelessness.

Not only will it provide a place to live, but the project will also provide full support. It is inspired by Homewards, a five-year program run by the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Royal Foundation, which proves that ending homelessness is achievable.

Construction is set to begin in September, with the first homes expected to be completed by fall next year.

See more photos and videos of the visit on our live blog yesterday here.