During his visit to Northern Ireland on Thursday, the Prince of Wales couldn’t resist hopping onto a stationary motorbike at Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus.
He explored the special effects in the Virtual Production Studio, simulating a ride through the Arizona desert. After touring the facility, William enthusiastically took control of a large film camera before trying out the bike, joking: “Any excuse to get on a motorbike!”
He even quipped about taking the bike for a real ride, asking if it could be moved off its gimbal.
As he dismounted, William, a known motorbike enthusiast, remarked, “I love that exhaust,” and praised the set’s realistic design. William’s passion for motorbikes is well-known, but his wife, Princess Kate, once confessed that his hobby fills her with “horror.”
During a 2015 visit to Dundee, Kate was asked if William still rode, to which she replied: “He’s still riding it. It always fills me with horror when he goes out on it. I’m terrified. Hopefully, I’m going to keep George off it.”
However, in 2018, while visiting the Isle of Man, William revealed he had toned down his riding, stating: “I’m a dad of three. I have to tone it down. I miss the big trips; for me, biking was always about being with everybody else.”
William’s trip to Northern Ireland had initially been scheduled for May but was postponed due to the UK general election. He began the day by visiting a project focused on preventing homelessness among young people leaving care.
At The Foyer, a temporary accommodation service operated by the Simon Community, William engaged with young people and sector experts about their experiences and the support they receive.
The Simon Community is part of the Homewards project in Northern Ireland, aimed at tackling homelessness.
Homewards Northern Ireland seeks to expand initiatives like the Simon Community’s Housing First For Youth service, which focuses on preventing homelessness and providing stable, community-based support for vulnerable young people leaving care. Supported by The Royal Foundation, Homewards will also implement a housing project to assist young people transitioning from the care system in Northern Ireland.
