Prince William apologised for Kate’s absence during a school visit today, adding that she ‘would have loved’ to come.

The Prince of Wales, 41, travelled to Rowley Regis, Sandwell, to meet pupil Freddie Hadley, 12, after receiving a letter last year inviting him to see the mental health initiatives at his school, St Michael’s Church of England High School.

William praised Freddie for his standout letter and told a member of staff: ‘Lots of people write letters but Freddie’s was a really well written letter. I promised I would come.’

But for William, the moment was bittersweet since he was without Kate, 42, who has stepped back from public engagements after starting a course of ‘preventative’ chemotherapy.

‘I am sorry Catherine can’t be here as well. She would have loved to,’ William told a staff member.

Prince William greeted Freddie Hadley (left) today, praising him for his ‘very well written’ letter outlining his school’s mental health initiatives

The Princess of Wales announced she was battling cancer last month – amid mounting pressure for the Palace to comment on her condition.

In the emotional message, filmed in Windsor, Kate revealed the news had come as a ‘huge shock’ and that she and William ‘have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family’.

Today marked the first time that William has undertaken what is known as a ‘royal away day’ since news of the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis and treatment was publicly announced.

Given her commitment to improving the mental wellbeing of children with the Shaping Us campaign, Kate would have likely enjoyed today’s engagement.

Freddie Hadley, 12, posted his letter on X, formerly Twitter, on World Mental Health Day last October telling the royal about the brilliant work he and his friends at St Michael’s Church of England High School in Rowley Regis, Sandwell, were doing.

To his delight, William personally replied, writing: ‘Good afternoon Freddie, I’m so sorry Catherine and I can’t be with you and the rest of the students at St Michael’s today. ‘Tackling mental health challenges and stigmas head on is so important, please keep up this important work. W’

But Freddie’s letter clearly had a deeply moving effect on the prince, who asked his team to secretly arrange a visit to the school next time he was planning public engagements in the West Midlands.

And today he shocked the schoolboy and his classmates by arriving unannounced as the first of three engagements in the region.

William apologised for Kate’s absence, adding that ‘she would have loved to’ be there (seen in November)

William is snapped shaking hands with 12-year-old Freddie Hadley, who made the initial invitation to visit the school

Freddie Hadley, 12, wrote to the Prince of Wales last year telling him about the initiative he and his peers have set up to help pupils manage their mental health

After initially sending his apologies for not being able to visit Freddie and his classmates, William gave St Michael’s school a wave today ahead of his arrival

It is the first time that William has undertaken what is known as a ‘royal away day’ since news of the Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis and treatment was publicly announced.

Freddie had no idea that the Prince was going to visit – instead he and his fellow pupils were told to prepare for a VIP guest…. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands.

Even as he saw the suite of cars with a police escort approaching the campus , he later said, he still didn’t click.

But when he saw William get out of the car, his face broke into a broad grin.

‘So this is the young lad who started it all off,’ William said. Very nice to see you, thank you for your letter.’ ‘You’re very welcome,’ replied Freddie.

‘Did you think you would get a response, like that?’ asked the prince. ‘Yes I did,’ Freddie said.

‘Oh you did, that’s confidence, ‘ laughed William. He asked: ‘Why did you decide to write to me?’

Freddie explained that he had been very impressed with the royal’s work on mental health issues.

During his visit, William met representatives of Student Voice and had conversations with students about mental health

Prince William revealed Princess Charlotte ‘s favourite joke this morning during a surprise school visit on a day of engagements in the West Midlands where he joined Freddie Hadley (centre) on the school’s radio station

Inside the school William was taken to meet the school’s ‘wellbeing champions’ and handed a cup of ‘positivity-tea’

The prince apologised for not being able to come when he was first invited on world Mental Health Day but said he hope he had made up for it.

Inside the building William told one member of staff: ‘ Lots of people write letters but Freddie’s was a really well written letter. I promised I would come. ‘ He added: ‘I am sorry Catherine can’t be here as well. She would have loved to.’

St. Michael’s employs a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing and in May 2022 achieved a gold standard award by the Carnegie Centre of Excellent for Mental Health in Schools.

The school launched ‘Student Voice’ in 2012, consisting of up to 100 students who meet at lunchtimes, after school, in the evenings and during school periods to develop initiatives ranging from fundraising to mental health, including working with elderly members of the community.

It’s team of enthusiastic student Wellbeing Ambassadors also help design and implement a range of initiatives to support students.

Prince William waves to crowds of royal fans as he visits a school in Sandwell today

During his visit William plans to meet representatives of Student

Voice, and join a session with the Matrix Project which was set up to shine a spotlight on male mental health and sees boys aged 11-14 meet weekly to develop ideas and projects to tackle mental health challenges.

The group launched its #AmIManlyEnough campaign last year to tackle

the stigma around male mental health and encourage men and boys to communicate more about their feelings.

He will also join a workshop with a larger group of students who ara discussing a range of issues related to mental health and wellbeing, including designing their own calm kits and their dream wellbeing hub.

During the visit, William revealed that when he began undertaking royal work, he never initially intended to look into mental health as his most championed cause

In his letter to William last year Freddie neatly wrote that he and his friends had set up #AMIMANLYENOUGH? with the aim of tackling the stigma that ‘girls cry and boys get mad’.

‘Through our work we discovered that suicide is the biggest 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er in young males and this won’t change unless people start the conversation,’ he wrote, with extraordinary maturity.

‘Our passion for mental health has given us opportunities to organise and lead community events, present at national conferences, take part in radio interviews and even gain celebrity endorsement.’

He invited the heir to the throne to join the ‘soft launch’ of their campaign on World Mental Health Day as their VIP guest.

And while William had to regretfully decline on that occasion, he made his mind up to go and see their work in action at some point in the near future.