William says Kate is ‘doing well’ as he delights fans with surprise royal walkabout: Prince meets cheeky toddler who pretended it was his birthday to grab his attention as chatted with well-wishers during visit to suicide charity

A toddler pretended it was his birthday so he could get Prince William’s attention today as the heir to the throne surprised fans during a walkabout in Newcastle – and said Kate was ‘doing well’.

Three-year-old Kevin made the cheeky claim as the Prince of Wales arrived at James’s Place, a suicide prevention charity in the city. And the boy was delighted when William bent down, shook his hand and asked him if he had eaten any cake.

Afterwards, staff at Little Lotus Nursery admitted it was not actually Kevin’s birthday – and the little boy had been so eager to chat to William that he had told a lie. 

William met families outside James’s Place before opening the venue which offers free treatment to suicidal men. The centre is one of several belonging to the charity set up by the family of James Wentworth-Stanley who killed himself aged 21 in 2006.

Mr Wentworth-Stanley’s brother is Harry Wentworth-Stanley who in June 2022 married Cressida Bonas, the former girlfriend of William’s brother Prince Harry.

Outside the centre, Julie Cain, 60, asked William: ‘Do you mind if I ask how your wife and children are?’ William replied: ‘All doing well, thank you. Yes, we’re doing well.’

The heir to the throne shook hands with the well-wishers draped in Union Jack flags and clutching flowers, and was happy to pose for selfies with those who asked.

William – who earlier in the day also visited an Earthshot Prize finalist company 20 miles away in Seaham, County Durham – came to the North West as his father King Charles returned to public duties and his wife Kate continued her cancer treatment.

Also outside James’s Place today, six-year-old Sadie Stewart handed William a card to congratulate him on his 13th wedding anniversary, which was yesterday.

The schoolgirl, who was with her mother Carole, 48 and brother Miles, 13, said: ‘It was very, very good to chat to him. He is really nice. He is showing his children the card later which makes me very happy. I’m going to tell everyone at school.’

Carole added: ‘We’ve been here since 10am. It’s something the children will remember for the rest of their lives.’

Royal fan Julie Cain, 60, had been camping outside the building since 7.45am to get a glimpse of William.

The royalist, who donned a Union Jack cap and a flag with pictures of William and Kate printed on the front, said: ‘I love Prince William. I like the majority of the royals but I love William and Catherine.

‘I wouldn’t miss this for the world. He always makes you feel seen. He has lovely mannerisms. I have never met William but I’ve been to a number of royal events including the weddings, the Queen’s Coronation and funeral.

‘I would love to get a selfie with him. I’ve brought flowers for Catherine.’

Her friend Maria Scott, 53, from Rowlands Gill, also brought flowers for Catherine.

She said: ‘There is a group of us who decorate the gates of Kensington Palace for Diana every year and Prince William asked to meet us in 2019.

‘I would like to see him and thank him personally for that. It meant a lot to us.

‘He hasn’t been to the North East in six years so it’s great that he’s come back and that he’s raising awareness of mental health. I also have flowers for Kate. It’s so sad.’

Earlier today, the Prince of Wales met the team at Low Carbon Materials in Seaham to learn more about their product used in construction.

William, who is the Earthshot founder and president, also heard about the work the firm has done since becoming a finalist in the environmental awards in 2022.

After the visit, William took time to meet six-month-old Luca with his grandmother Andrea Newton outside the building – telling her: ‘Hope he sleeps alright later.’

Three material science PhD students founded Low Carbon Materials with the aim of becoming a world leader in low-carbon and eco-friendly construction materials.

The Prince visited their research and development lab to be shown how it creates and tests concrete samples containing its product Osto, which is carbon-negative.

Staff also demonstrated how the firm is incorporating waste carbon dioxide into their products, helping to further reduce their carbon footprint. 

Since becoming an Earthshot finalist, Low Carbon Materials has signed a major partnership with National Highways to help reach the organisation reach its 2040 target of Net Zero emissions from construction and maintenance.

The firm’s product Acla, developed with National Highways, and supported by contractors Skanska, enables the production of Net Zero asphalt which absorbs carbon as it is produced. 

It was used for the first time in a road resurfacing project in County Durham in March 2024.

It comes after a previously unseen portrait of the Prince and Princess of Wales was released by Kensington Palace yesterday in celebration of the couple’s 13th wedding anniversary.

Kate, who is also undergoing treatment for cancer, married future king William in 2011.

The couple are facing their most difficult challenge so far amid the princess’s diagnosis, with Kate appealing for time, space and privacy as she continues her treatment.

The photograph by Millie Pilkington – who took the most recent picture of the King and Queen to mark Charles’s return to public duties – shows William and Kate on their wedding day.

The black and white image was posted on the Waleses’ social media accounts on Monday, captioned ’13 years ago today!’.

In an emotional message to the nation last month announcing her health news, Kate praised her husband for his support during ‘an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family’.

‘Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance,’ she said.

Last year, the Palace released a recent photo of the prince and princess to mark their wedding anniversary, showing them on bikes in the sunshine with their arms round one another.

But there was no new image of the couple this year as Kate continues her treatment for cancer away from the limelight.

Kate, 42, said in her video message how her diagnosis had come as a huge shock and that she and William ‘have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family’.

William returned to work following the Easter holidays when the Waleses spent quality time with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Louis celebrated his sixth birthday last week and Charlotte turns nine on May 2.

William and Kate released an unedited new photo of Louis straight to social media to mark the youngster’s big day to thank well-wishers and avoid the uproar over the princess’s digitally altered Mother’s Day photo.

Also today, King Charles returned to public duties after doctors said they were pleased with his progress following cancer treatment.

Charles, who has been patron of Macmillan Cancer Support for more than 20 years, made a trip to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London..

He was accompanied by the Queen, who is president of cancer support charity Maggie’s.

The visit was aimed at raising awareness of the importance of early cancer diagnosis and the couple heard about innovative research into the disease.

Aside from attending an Easter Sunday church service, the King has until now stayed away from public events.

Buckingham Palace gave an update on Friday on the King’s condition and his return to public-facing duties.

The Palace said the King was still undergoing treatment for cancer and it was too early to say how long it would continue.

But a Palace spokesperson said ‘His Majesty’s medical team are very encouraged by the progress made so far and remain positive about the King’s continued recovery.’

Charles’s diary of forthcoming events will not be a full summer programme, with his attendance announced nearer the time ‘subject to doctors’ advice’, according to the Palace.

In January, Charles spent three nights in hospital for a procedure on an enlarged prostate, during which his undisclosed cancer was discovered.