Prince William made a rare remark about his spouse, Kate Middleton, as he inaugurated a new youth center in west London on Thursday. While participating in various activities at WEST, the new OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham, Prince William humorously remarked, “My wife is the artistic one,” as he tried his hand at icing biscuits.
Kate, aged 42, is currently recovering from abdominal surgery at the family’s residence in Windsor. It is understood that William’s engagement, which occurred shortly after the controversy surrounding a digitally-enhanced photograph of the Princess and her children on Mother’s Day, was always planned as a solo appearance.
As he decorated the biscuits, the father-of-three added: “Even my children are artier than me.”
“Louis loves sprinkles,” he said, adding them liberally. And when asked about his favourite biscuit, William was quick to respond with chocolate digestives or a Kit-Kat.
William joined youngsters as they played basketball, pool and arts and crafts at the centre as he urged people to spend less time on their phones, confessing: “The grown-ups are guilty of it too We have got to be better at it, our phones, too. We spend ages on our phones.”
He asked the room of young people: “Are all of you on your phone quite a lot? Do you know how long you spend on your phones?
“Do you think it’s a good idea to be on your phone all day?” before adding, “Who said yes!?” in mock outrage.
As William headed towards the basketball court, conversation shifted to football, with the Prince, a devoted Aston Villa fan, inquiring about the players’ favorite teams. After agreeing to attempt a shot at the hoop, William finally scored on his fifth attempt, prompting celebration.
When asked about his children George, Charlotte, and Louis’ hobbies, William mentioned that eight-year-old Charlotte enjoys ballet.
Dubbed WEST (which stands for ‘Where Everyone Sticks Together’) by local youth, the new Youth Zone will be supported by skilled and dedicated youth workers, aiding young people from across west London in developing the skills and confidence necessary to pursue their aspirations.
WEST Youth Zone, a newly established local independent charity, offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, fitness suite, indoor climbing wall, teaching kitchen, performing arts studio, and café serving hot, nutritious meals priced at no more than £1.
Praising the centre, William said: “What you’ve done here is incredible, I really like the concept, it ticks all the boxes – it’s fun, safe, educational… It’s great.”
WEST has been developed by OnSide, a national youth centre charity. It has 14 “youth zones” across the country and seven more due to open, with a mission to empower young people to lead positive, fulfilling lives.
