Wills on film! Prince of Wales larks about with studio equipment and meets Oscar-winning actor with Down's syndrome in Belfast

Prince William played around with studio equipment as he met an Oscar-winning actor in Belfast today – after the royal visited a temporary accommodation for homeless people.

The Prince of Wales, 42, had a jam-packed schedule during his trip to Northern Ireland.

In the afternoon, he traveled to the state-of-the-art Virtual Production Studio at Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus Centre, to meet pupils who are learning about production, an innovative technology in which a virtual set is created and displayed on LED walls.

The future King clearly enjoyed himself as he posed on a model motorbike and played around with the cameras.  

He also met Belfast-born actor, James Martin – the first person with Down syndrome to win an Academy Award after performing in An Irish Goodbye – to discuss the growing success of the sector in Northern Ireland, and how Studio Ulster will help to further strengthen the country’s reputation as a global creative leader.

Over the last decade, the university helped to grow the creative industries sector in Northern Ireland, which is estimated to contribute £1.4bn to the local economy and employs more than 24,000 people.

Later, William joined training workshop with young people from two local community groups who are being taught to operate software used in the creation of games, animation and virtual production. 

His day started with a meeting with partners involved in the Homewards programme, which was founded by himself in a bid to tackle homelessness. 

William met Belfast-born actor, James Martin to discuss the growing success of the sector in Northern Ireland, and how Studio Ulster will help to further strengthen the country’s reputation as a global creative leader

The future King clearly enjoyed himself as he posed on a model motorbike and played around with the cameras

Over the last decade, the university helped to grow the creative industries sector in Northern Ireland, which is estimated to contribute £1.4bn to the local economy and employs more than 24,000 people

The engagement was designed to explore how local projects can be ‘scaled up’ to help prevent young people leaving care becoming homeless.

Northern Ireland is one of six Homewards locations across the UK where local partnerships are working to identify and solve issues that lead to homelessness.

William visited The Foyer, a temporary accommodation and support service which houses around 30 young people operated by the charity Simon Community, a member of the Homewards ‘Northern Ireland local Coalition’.

Research shows that a third of people with care experience in the UK become homeless within the first two years of exiting the care system, and 25 per cent of all people who have experienced homelessness have been in care at some point during their childhood.

Young people who have been in care may become homeless because they can’t access affordable housing, lack a support network or have experienced childhood trauma. In Northern Ireland, around 140 young people each year leave care and become homeless.

William was welcomed to the centre by the SDLP leader Dame Fionnuala Jay O-Boyle and Jim Dennison, the chief executive of Simon Community, before sitting down with a group of Homewards partners including Dennison, Caitroina McCusker, PWC’s regional market leader for northern Ireland who is working with Homewards on private sector support and Alyson Kilpatrick, chair of the Homewards northern Ireland steering group.

He told them: ‘All of you have been doing such an amazing job for such a long time. A lot of people have told me that since the documentary went out, it’s opened their eyes a bit more to what homelessness is about. What more can we do to help you?’ 

Kilpatrick replied: ‘I think coming to shine a light, visiting, meeting people who are homeless, it all helps.’

The Prince of Wales met staff and students gathered during a visit to Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus Centre

The royal was in high spirits as he chatted with students, who were excited to meet with the royal 

William recorded a video message for the friend of a student who missed his visit to Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus Centre

The royal was all smiles as he helped a student record a video message for a friend on her phone today

William then joined two groups of young people who have been supported by Simon Commnity’s ‘housing first for youth programme’ which focuses on preventing homelessness, providing stable accommodation and community-based wraparound support to vulnerable young people leaving care for as long as they need, to hear their stories and what support they have received.

In the first group at an arts and crafts activity table, he met Amy, 19, who went into care at 16 after a family breakdown and has been at The Foyer since earlier this year. 

She told William: ‘When I was in care, so often, I wasn’t treated like a normal person. There isn’t often mental health support. Without the Simon Community programme, I’m not sure where I’d be.’

William asked her: ‘Is it that we need to get to you earlier? Is that the key issue? Should that be how the care system works more?’ She told him: ‘Definitely’.

In the second group, he met Sherry, 19 and Thomas 18, who told him of their experiences. Thomas spoke of how he had been in foster care for 12 years and moved home seven times before finding more permanent support and housing from Simon Community.

Sherry, who had an ‘abusive and alcoholic’ mother, had been in foster care from the age of 12, before being given support by the charity. She told William: ‘People just think it’s alcoholic old people who are homeless. They don’t see us. We really do appreciate what you’re doing.’

William replied: ‘I really care that you guys are seen and so often you aren’t, and I want to change that, change that narrative. Because nobody should be going through what you’ve been through.’

The Prince of Wales pictured leaving after a visit to Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus Centre

The royal signed a visitor’s book after his visit to the university to hear about work that is being carried out to solidify Northern Ireland as a global leader of creative excellence

William pictured trying out a motorbike in the state-of-the-art Virtual Production Studio on Thursday

The royal enjoyed playing around with the studio equipment as he jumped on a motorbike during the visit

William channelled his inner movie star as he hopped on the motorbike in the virtual production studio

The future King was clearly impressed with the apparatus, and even had a go on it himself today

William had a go on the motorbike as he visited the Virtual Production Studio at the university today

William got the chance to chat with students during his visit to the Virtual Production Studio at the university

William met with students taking part in a training workshop by the Ulster Screen Academy, where they are taught to operate software used in the creation of games

Pictured: The Prince of Wales with Professor of Creative Technologies Paul Moore meeting students taking part in a training workshop

William spoke with (L-R) Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Micky Murray, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and university vice-chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew as he arrived for a visit to Ulster University’s Belfast City Campus Centre

William looked to be in high spirits as he embarked on an action-packed day out in Belfast on Thursday

The royal smiled as he made his introductions at the university during his engagement-filled day on Thursday

William came to the campus to to hear about work that is being carried out to solidify Northern Ireland as a global leader of creative excellence

The royal smiled and shook hands with the university vice-chancellor Professor Paul Bartholome

The father-of-three has had a busy couple of weeks, having recently just come back from South Africa where he celebrated the Earthshot Prize winners during a glitzy, star-studded ceremony

Thomas asked him: ‘Of all the causes you could have picked, why homelessness?’ 

William told him: ‘I had experience of seeing some of the issues from when I was young. The whole plan now is to show we can prevent it. You should all be so proud of the journey you’ve been on, onwards and upwards.’ 

The prince also met practitioners in the care system to hear about some of the current work in Northern Ireland to support young people leaving care, and how Homewards can help in identifying what is working, expand support services and try to develop new solutions.

The father-of-three has had a busy couple of weeks, having recently just come back from South Africa where he celebrated the Earthshot Prize winners during a glitzy, star-studded ceremony.  

Finalists, stars and campaigners trod the green carpet, the biggest in the world, at the start of the awards.

Last week’s event were held in a reusable eco ‘super dome’ with a green carpets for guests who include host Billy Porter and models Heidi Klum and Winnie Harlow.

The five winning organisations were chosen from nearly 2,500 nominees across 75 countries.

The Prince of Wales looked suave in a grey chequered blazer, crisp blue shirt and navy suit trousers, complete with a casual pair of gleaming eco-friendly white trainers while attending the event.

Prince William, pictured, visited a temporary accommodation for homeless people in Belfast today 

The Prince of Wales, 42, met with partners involved in the Homewards programme, which was founded by himself in a bid to tackle homelessness

William appeared animated as he visited the Simon Community in Belfast on Thursday, sporting a black suit

The royal appeared to be in high spirits as he discussed how rough sleeping can be prevented in the area

William listened attentively during his trip, with more plans on the agenda during his visit to Belfast 

In Northern Ireland, approximately 140 young people each year leave care and present as homeless

During the trip, he travelled to The Foyer, a temporary accommodation and support service operated by charity Simon Community, where met young people and heard about their individual journeys with homelessness

The father-of-three has had a busy couple of weeks, having recently just come back from South Africa where he celebrated the Earthshot Prize winners during a glitzy, star-studded ceremony

Prince William is also set to visit Ulster University later on in the day to hear about the value that the creative industries hold

Mary Allen, from Natural Fiber Welding who make Purified Shoes said: ‘I had no idea Prince William was going to be wearing the shoes until just before we got here. It’s such a huge honour.

He looked ready for the evening ahead as he posed next to Earthshot Prize Ambassador and Host of Earthshot Week, Nomzamo Mbatha, and the son of the late Steve Irwin, Robert Irwin, who is a Australian conservationist. 

The star-studded event saw model Winnie posing for snaps on the green carpet, donning an elegant chocolate brown ensemble.

Prince William said the  Princess of Wales is ‘doing really well’ and that she and their children watched his Earthshot Prize environmental awards.

The royal paid tribute to wife Kate on his trip to Cape Town, saying she had been ‘amazing’ during her tough year of cancer treatment.

‘She’s doing really well thanks. And…hopefully she is watching tonight. So cheering me on. She’s been she’s been amazing this whole this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success,’ he said.

William was speaking to the BBC and Sky News as he prepared to host his fourth annual Earthshot Awards designed to highlight and scale up the best solutions on the planet to the current environmental crisis.

He said that he and his family, like so many, have conversations about trying to ‘do what they can’ at home.

William said: ‘Yeah, well, you know, every family tries to do what they can to sort of help with the environment. 

‘We go through all the basics of recycling and making sure we minimise water use and turning off lights when we leave the house and stuff like that, and making sure, which is sensible in what we do around the environment. I think every family has these conversations. You just try to do what you can.’

He recently revealed that he’s had the ‘hardest year in my life’ following Kate and King Charles’ cancer diagnoses.

Tonight, five winners from across the world received £1 million in prize money to develop and scale up their solutions

Prince William is pictured meeting television presenter Bonang Matheba in Cape Town, South Africa

The Prince of Wales is pictured at the Earthshot Prize Awards looking suave in a grey chequered suit 

In a remarkably candid – and at times emotional – interview at the end of his official visit to South Africa he admitted the past few months had been ‘brutal’.

But the prince also said how hugely ‘proud’ he was of Catherine and the King for handling their health battles with such dignity and bravery.

Speaking in Cape Town last week, he slightly sighed and lowered his voice as he said: ‘Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.

‘But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done.

‘But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.’ 

Asked how is the princess is ‘getting on’, he smiled and said: ‘She’s doing well. Doing well.’

William added of his relaxed demeanour in Cape Town this week: ‘It’s interesting you say that, because I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that.’

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