Prince William Helps College Student Explain Being Late for Class in ‘Unexpected’ Moment
Prince William‘s latest stop at college was complete with a Gen Z-approved move: making a TikTok video!
On Nov. 14, the Prince of Wales, 42, visited Ulster University during his surprise trip to Northern Ireland and made a cameo in a student’s video. Though the British royal family doesn’t have an official account on TikTok, Prince William knew just what to do when a student asked him to make a video for her professor explaining that she would be late to class.
In a clip viewed over 4.2 million times on TikTok, Samantha Johnson and a group of other young people stood around William. “Yeah, just tell her why we’re late,” she said with a laugh, and panned the camera to the prince.
After double-checking the professor’s name and that the video was rolling, Prince William said, “Lesley, I’m very sorry we’re late, but they seem to be caught up, and they wouldn’t believe that you were here, so, just wanted to say hi.”
His quip made the group laugh, and Johnson wrote over the video: “POV — Prince William gives you the best excuse for being late,” when she posted it.
When reached by PEOPLE, Johnson said: “He really took a genuine interest in all of our interests and future plans. Honestly, gave the most positive vibes and seems like such a sweet, kind-hearted individual. Even took time to tell us about his plans to help the homeless to spread awareness.”
In response to comments made on her video, Johnson said: “Best excuse ever” and “Can’t argue with a royal pardon.”
When asked if she got away with the excuse, she said: “Course I did” and that her professor “loved it.” She also shared that it was “so unexpected” and a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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When a commenter observed that “interactions with royals are getting more and more unserious,” Johnson agreed, saying, “Makes them seem more real.”
Finally, she said that Prince William was “one of the nicest people I’ve met, genuinely takes care in trying to get to know you…Didn’t expect him to be so sound…He’s literally adorable.”
Prince William’s trip to Northern Ireland wasn’t announced in advance, and he traveled north to meet partners involved with his Homewards project. The heir to the throne launched the campaign through The Royal Foundation in June 2023 to help eradicate homelessness across the U.K., making it “rare, brief and unrepeated” through a five-year commitment.
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His second engagement of the day was a visit to Ulster University, where he heard about efforts to establish Northern Ireland as a leader of creative excellence and innovation by empowering the next generation and enhancing technological capabilities.
Ulster University has been pivotal in expanding the creative industries sector in Northern Ireland, which is estimated to pump over $1.7 billion to the local economy and employ over 24,000 people.
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William’s selfie-style TikTok video may have surprised some royal watchers, as the British royals previously refrained from selfies! The stance seems to have relaxed in recent years, with Prince William and wife Kate Middleton seeming to set a new tone when they both smiled for selfies during their first joint appearance of 2023.
That January, after opening the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital, the couple took selfies with around 20 hospital staff, volunteers, and visitors.
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“They were so welcoming. They were so warm and friendly,” ophthalmic imaging technician Amber Otto, who snapped photos with both the Prince and Princess of Wales, told PEOPLE at the time.
“Even when they were being rushed out, they made sure they made time for everybody,” she said.
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2024 looked different for Prince William and Princess Kate, with no official joint engagements after the Princess of Wales announced in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. She was outside of the limelight for much of the spring and summer, and shared on Sept. 9 that she completed chemotherapy treatment.
Princess Kate shared the news in a video where she appeared with Prince William and their kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. The clip, filmed by Will Warr in Norfolk in August, was unprecedented for its intimacy of their family life — which, in itself, is another modern message.
