Prince William Mobbed by Selfie Hunters Outside Youth Centre
A visit to a south London youth centre by Prince William, the Prince of Wales, turned into a chaotic encounter with passers-by on Thursday. The royal, who was in the area to support a local initiative, was mobbed by well-wishers and selfie hunters, who swarmed around him as he left the Mentivity centre in Walworth.
According to eyewitnesses, Prince William played video games with members of the youth club, including a game of Mario Kart, and chatted with the founders and Rik Salmon, an executive from Spotify, which is working with Mentivity. The prince was seen laughing and joking with the young people, and even managed to beat one of them in a game of Mario Kart. Zia Adeniyi, 10, who raced the prince in Mario Kart, recalled: "He said he didn’t know how to play it and he kept asking me the controls and then he beat me."
Mentivity, which was hailed as "fantastic" by the prince, aims to mentor and inspire young people to "achieve their full potential". The organisation, founded in 2016, engages over 400 local young people weekly through mentoring programmes, school outreach and youth clubs. During his visit, Prince William also played a virtual football match, which he lost.
Rik Salmon, who worked with the prince during the visit, revealed that Prince William told him that he uses the music streaming platform to find new music and that it helps him to calm down. This insight into the prince’s personal life was shared with Sky News, which reported on the visit.
As Prince William left the centre, he was met by a large crowd of people who had gathered outside, eager to catch a glimpse of the royal. The prince, who was surrounded by security, posed for selfies and chatted with the crowd, who were eager to meet him. Oluwaseyi Soyebo-Idowu, 50, who posed for a photo with the prince outside the venue, said: "I’m very excited… it was very nice to meet him. He was so humble, bringing himself down to ordinary level."
The scene outside the centre was chaotic, with people pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of the prince. Despite the commotion, Prince William remained calm and composed, smiling and waving to the crowd as he made his way to his waiting car. Sky News reported that the prince’s visit had drawn a large crowd, with word of his visit spreading quickly in the local area.
In a statement, Mentivity praised Prince William for his visit, saying that it was a "fantastic" experience for the young people involved. The organisation’s work with young people in the area has been recognised by Sky News, which has highlighted the importance of initiatives like Mentivity in supporting the local community.
The visit by Prince William to Mentivity highlights the importance of community-based initiatives in supporting young people. As reported by Sky News, the prince’s visit was a welcome boost to the local community, which has seen a significant increase in youth engagement and participation in recent years. By supporting organisations like Mentivity, Prince William is demonstrating his commitment to helping young people achieve their full potential.
