The Prince of Wales caught a baby thrust at him from a sea of well-wishers when he met locals living on the Brazilian island retreat of Paqueta.
William travelled to the outcrop, a 50-minute ferry ride from Rio de Janeiro, to learn about its mangrove habitat and sample the slower pace of life on an island where there are no private cars and bicycles are the main form of transport.
The future king greeted dozens of well-wishers waiting behind crash barriers and at one point a baby was pushed towards him and he joked the grandparent “mustn’t drop him!” before giving him a cuddle.
Holding him with the confidence of a father of three young children, William said: “Bless him” before handing him back to his grandmother Christina.
The prince helped several young children come to the front of the meet and greet in the main square by the waterfront, bending down to be in photographs with them and occasionally borrowing a phone to take the selfie himself.
The island, which has around 5,000 residents, has declared the visit The Day Of The Prince, and children were given time off school to see him.
Many had created colourful drawings to hand over to him, calling him “Prince of the Island” and the visit “Prince Day”.
Retired lawyer Glaucia Martinez, 60, repeatedly touched William’s hand as he quizzed her about life on Paqueta where she lives.
The 60-year-old said: “He asked me about the island and I said that it’s safe, it’s charming, and it’s a good place to live.
“People here, they are good, good people, you know, honest people, and we live in peace here.
“And I said that I love Kate.”
Read More