The Prince of Wales played bowls with a group of schoolchildren in west London on Tuesday, at the same time his brother, the Duke of Sussex, made his first public outing during a five-day trip to the United Kingdom.
William Meets Team Wales Athletes
William was joined by five Team Wales athletes preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow during his visit to The London Welsh School in Hanwell. The athletes included lawn and indoor bowler Ross Owen, blind para bowler Julie Thomas and her guide John Wilson, and weightlifters Madaline Connelly and Catrin Haf Jones, who had just received their new dark green kit.
Sitting in the shade at the back of the school garden, the prince joked about the hot weather, telling them: “You’ve found a bit of shade here, guys, well done.” Team Wales chief executive Rebecca Edwards-Symmons introduced the athletes and showed William the gold, silver and bronze Glasgow 2026 medals, which feature Braille descriptions for the first time.
Harry's Invictus Engagement
Meanwhile, 12 miles away at Chatham House in central London, Prince Harry attended the 14th Invictus Games Foundation Conversation. The duke arrived in the UK on Monday for five days of engagements in London and Birmingham, including marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games. It is not known whether the Duchess of Sussex and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will join him, or whether Harry will see his father, the King.
William's Interaction with Pupils
William then went inside the school to meet pupils in assembly, who were given a presentation about the Games by Glasgow 2026's official unicorn mascot Finnie. The children clapped loudly as he entered. When asked which sport he is looking forward to watching, William joked: “Oh, there’s a lot to choose from there. I think on such a hot day I’m gonna have to say swimming.”
The prince also met administrator Eleri Brady and governor Jane Johns, who discussed difficulties in attracting pupils since the pandemic. Mrs Brady said the school used to welcome around 40 students, now down to 12. Founded in 1958, Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain is the only Welsh-medium primary school outside Wales and Patagonia, playing a key role in promoting Welsh language and culture in London.
Bowls and Departure
William joined staff and pupils in the garden to play bowls, encouraging a young boy who had just mastered a throw: “Well done, straight to the Commonwealth Games.” Athletes Owen and Thomas showed him how to hold a lawn bowl properly, but he joked he preferred the kids' plastic version, which is “much lighter.” Before leaving, William took a group photo and was gifted a tie featuring Glasgow 2026's bespoke tartan.
Julie Thomas, who lost her sight in 2008, said of meeting the prince: “It was a lovely occasion today, and he seemed genuinely interested in all of us as athletes. And it was really nice because he seemed very knowledgeable. He was just genuinely warm and interested and enthusiastic about it.”
Team Wales will travel to Glasgow with a squad of 114 athletes, including 22 para-athletes, aged 16 to 73. The Commonwealth Games run from July 23 to August 2, featuring 10 sports and six para-sports at venues across Glasgow.
