Prince William, during a heartwarming visit to Mentivity House in south London, revealed his playful disbelief at a recent surprise from his father, King Charles III. The Prince of Wales shared his surprise over his father’s Apple Music playlist, The King’s Music Room, which was anything but what he expected. “I was expecting a lot of classical music, so I was surprised,” William said with a laugh, noting that the playlist included hits from artists like Kylie Minogue, Bob Marley, and Grace Jones.
The candid moment occurred as William interacted with Adeyemi Michael, the director of Mentivity House. When Michael joked about the possibility of King Charles adding “Garage and UK Funky” tracks to his playlist, William responded humorously, “I’m not sure he’d know what that was.” This lighthearted exchange added a playful touch to an already joyful visit.
William’s day at Mentivity House was filled with warmth and camaraderie. He was greeted by Mentivity founder Sayce Holmes-Lewis and walked through the estate, where he was embraced by local resident Oluwaseyi Soyebo-Idowu, who excitedly called him “a King of England.” The Prince responded warmly, jokingly inviting him to join the visit and posing for selfies with fans.
Inside the youth center, William showcased his competitive side as he joined local schoolchildren for a game of Mario Kart, narrowly beating 10-year-old Zia. He congratulated her on her great race, saying, “Brilliant! Neck and neck the whole way. Well done, well played.”
Mentivity House, established in 2016, offers mentorship, school outreach, and youth clubs to the local community. During his visit, William praised the center’s efforts, remarking, “There should be one in every single town.” Football star Reiss Nelson, an advocate for Mentivity, also spoke about the positive impact the organization has had on his life and the community.
Later, William joined the teenagers for a friendly football match, admitting with a laugh, “I’ll only be ten seconds, I’m terrible at this.” He soon stepped aside as his team trailed 2-0 but remained in high spirits throughout the match.
During his visit, William also shared how music helps him unwind, admitting that he regularly uses Spotify to discover new artists. He expressed his admiration for the work of Mentivity House and discussed how their model could be expanded across the country, emphasizing the importance of offering similar support to other communities.
“Looking around the rest of the country, I can’t think of a place that doesn’t need a Mentivity, and that’s troubling,” he said. “How do you roll something like this out nationally?” His enthusiasm for the center’s work was evident as he expressed interest in finding ways to scale their impact without losing the essence of what makes Mentivity so effective.
