The Duke of Cambridge has brought about memories of his late mother, Princess Diana, with his most recent visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, Europe’s largest cancer hospital.
After a brief tour of the radiotherapy department, Prince William headed to the Oak Centre for Children and Young People where he quickly made friends with a six-year-old leukaemia patient named Daisy Wood.
The young patient, who clutched a stuffed penguin and a rabbit, was all smiles as the royal father-of-two helped her attach her hospital ID bracelet.
Wills and Daisy shared an instant connection!
“I’m always the pilot…I’m not trusted with the special stuff,” he told her with a smile. “How’s that? Is that okay? Is that loose or alright?”
And while the young girl found herself tongue tied around the Duke, her father later told reporters: “She did say William was a little old for her to marry.”
“It’s particularly nice he’s come around, it shows he’s interested in the Royal Marsden and the patients. It gives a boost to everyone,” he continued. “And being a dad with two young children, you can see how he relates very well to the children.”
William also chatted with Charlie Miller, a three-year-old leukaemia patient, who was gluing stickers at the time of their darling encounter. The future King revealed that his three-year-old son, Prince George, is also “big into stickers.”
“Very impressive gluing,” said William. “George likes doing his stickers. He is big into his stickers. He likes dinosaurs. Do you like dinosaurs, Charlie?”
The 34-year-old royal is pictured with Charlie Miller, a three-year-old leukaemia patient.
The royal next spent time with 11-year-old Zak, an avid royal watcher who tragically suffers from a brain tumour.
“Zak has loved the royal family since he was little. He was at that age when all the events were being staged for William and [Duchess] Kate’s wedding and he was hooked,” his mother said.
“We were talking about George, and William said George was noisy and charging around the place,” she continued. “And Charlotte has recently had her birthday, so Zak said happy birthday to Charlotte. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Zak.”
William, whose late mother made her first solo visit to Royal Marsden Hospital in 1982, has a long history with the facility.
In 2005, he carried out work experience in the hospital’s radiotherapy department and just two years later he became President of the hospital. He took over the Presidency from his mother who held the role from 1989 until her death in 1997.
William was just 15 and his brother Prince Harry only 12, when their mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. She was just 36 years old.
