Prince William joked with a youngster who didn't recognise him while on a walkabout shortly after the King's Coronation in May.
The Prince of Wales could be seen winking at the boy's parents in a TikTok clip where he is filmed meeting and greeting the public in Windsor the day after his father was crowned King Charles III.
William was confronted with a potentially awkward situation when a boy in the crowd was clearly excited to get a glimpse of the Prince but seemingly did not recognise him when standing a yard away, according to The Mirror. And the heir to the throne played along when the youngster started asking when Prince William would appear.
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The young lad was heard asking: “How long until we are going to be able to see Prince William?" and The Prince of Wales winked at the boy's parents and said: "We don't know where he is! Have you seen him yet?" William was then heard asking the boy whether he knew who he was, to which the boy said: "Uh...the government?"
Finally, the boy managed to figure out who the prince was and turned to him mum saying: “That's Prince William, mummy.”
The clip sparked many comments on social media about Prince William’s good humour during the walkabout
"I love this! He's such a lovely lovely man. Taking interest in everything the lil lad said," wrote one TikTok user. "This is the cutest thing I've ever seen," another said, while a third wrote: "He's a natural. Charismatic guy."
William is known for his close bond with his own children and a language expert said he "wants the world to see" his good relationship with Prince George. The father and son are frequently seen attending matches for the Prince's beloved Aston Villa and more recently at the Ashes, when they were seen eating pizza and chatting with the likes of Rishi Sunak and Stephen Fry as they attended the second Ashes test at Lord's.
Adrianne Carter, a body language specialist, said George's expressions at public events have previously suggested him as a self-conscious youngster, but that he appears to grown in confidence. "William comes across as a hands-on parent and willing to take the time to spend with his oldest son one on one. He wants to show a close bond to the world," she said.
