Prince William may have taken a quick trip to South Africa without the kids, but he still has a piece of them close to his heart, if his latest accessory of choice gives royal observers a clue.
Amid William’s Africa visit, The Daily Mail reported that the prince was spotted wearing a blue Taylor Swift-inspired friendship bracelet. The accessory featured primarily bright blue and teal colored beads, as well as four white beads that spelled out the word “Papa.”
“William was seen wearing a homemade friendship bracelet bearing the word ‘Papa’—the name his children call him-in Cape Town,” royal reporter Rebecca English wrote. “His daughter, Princess Charlotte, 9, is understood to have made the item for him especially before the trip. Charlotte is known to be a keen fan of arts and crafts—and of singer Taylor Swift, who encourages fans to swap homemade friendship bracelets with names or words on.”
Getty
The presence of the friendship bracelet comes four months after William attended Swift’s Eras Tour with Charlotte and Prince George. During the concert, the future king went viral for his “dad dancing to “Shake It Off.”
According to Entertainment Tonight, William didn’t mind the light teasing online, with a source telling the outlet, “He is focused on his wife and children right now. He really just wanted it to be a special night for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.”
Getty
The tickets to the concert were mostly for Charlotte, with a second source telling the outlet that “Charlotte is the huge Taylor Swift fan in the family.” The source added, “She has wanted to go to the concert for months, but with her mum being treated for cancer, this was a really special day to be able to celebrate her papa’s birthday like this. Charlotte absolutely loved it.”
Following the concert, William, George, and Charlotte broke royal protocol by taking a selfie with the pop star. The Prince and Princess of Wales’s Instagram account shared a BTS look at the moment, captioned, “Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour.”
