rocked a pair of shades today as he visited a surf beach in Cornwall – where he joined in with an impromptu game of volleyball.
Prince William

The Prince of Wales, 41, joined in a game with teenagers from a local lifesaving club on Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall.

The warm spring weather, with temperatures of around 16C and a gentle breeze, had attracted large numbers of the public to the beach to enjoy the sand and waves – as well as a chance to catch a glimpse of the prince.

William showed off his volleyball skills as his serving proved too much as the opposition repeatedly knocked the ball into the net while attempting a return.

Meanwhile on Thursday, King Charles met military staff and their families at a training base for the Army’s Royal Engineers in Surrey.

Prince William rocked a pair of shades today as he visited Fistral Beach in Cornwall
The Prince of Wales showed off his skills in an impromptu game of volleyball as crowds gathered round to watch
And William’s trip to Cornwall was without his wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, who is taking time away from public-facing duties amid her cancer diagnosis.

The beach is popular with surfers and regularly hosts international competitions, as well as the Boardmasters festival.

William, who is also the Duke of Cornwall, a title inherited from his father after the Queen’s death, runs the Duchy of Cornwall, a portfolio of land, property and investments valued at more than £1 billion, which provide an income for the heir to the throne.

Despite the warm weather – one of the hottest days so far this year – William appeared cool, calm and collected in a light-blue shirt and navy chinos.

He added a pair of snazzy shades for the relaxed outing and made a face of pure concentration as he served the ball in the game.

During the visit, the prince met members of the Holywell Bay and Newquay Surf lifesaving clubs and watched demonstrations of training drills, including surfboard skills and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

He asked one group of teenagers: ‘What is it like out there? Looks good for a few waves.’

‘Can I have a kiss William!’ one adoring fan could be heard asking as the crowds gathered around with ice creams in hand and sun hats at the ready.

William had clearly done it all before as he served the ball – which the opposition struggled to return
The Prince of Wales holds a volleyball during a visit to Fistral Beach in Newquay this afternoon
Prince William wears sunglasses during a visit to Fistrall Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, today
The prince also met members of the RNLI who patrol the beach and spoke with on-duty lifeguards in the lifeboat station.

This year, the RNLI is celebrating its 200th anniversary, having been formed in 1824.

Before leaving, William met members of the public and posed for selfies.

Earlier, he had visited a Duchy of Cornwall housing project at Nansledan in Newquay aimed at giving a home to the homeless.

The scheme – in partnership with the Cornish charity St Petrocs – will see 24 homes built on Duchy land for people experiencing homelessness.

In addition to having somewhere to live, the project will provide wrap around support, and is inspired by Homewards – a five-year programme led by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales to show that it is possible to end homelessness.

Construction is set to begin in September and the first homes are due for completion in the autumn of next year.

During the visit, William met Max Hedges, 26, from Camborne, who had been helped by St Petrocs after experiencing homelessness and is now joining the Royal Navy.

The Prince heard from local organisations who are working to keep the beach safe
William speaks with Holywell Bay Surf Life Saving Club members at Fistral Beach today
The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall when in Cornwall, speaks with Holywell Bay Surf Life Saving Club members during a visit to Fistral Beach in Newquay this afternoon
The Prince of Wales plays volleyball during a visit to Fistral Beach in Newquay this afternoon
Prince William wears sunglasses during a visit to Fistrall Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, today
William watches members of Holywell Bay Surf Life Saving Club carry out Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during a visit to Fistrall Beach in Newquay this afternoon
The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall when in Cornwall, speaks with Holywell Bay Surf Life Saving Club members during a visit to Fistral Beach in Newquay this afternoon
‘It was brilliant (the prince was in) great spirits,’ he said afterwards.

‘I told him a bit about me and why I am involved in St Petrocs, where I’ve been and what I’m doing now and progression from St Petrocs.

‘They’ve helped me tremendously – I needed somewhere safe to live and I needed a base camp to build my life back up.

‘I’ve just received so much support from the staff and we’ve become friends now.’

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: ‘Today marks the first time that the prince will see the site of the new homes.

‘He is looking forward to hearing from the Duchy team about how the work is progressing and from St Petrocs about the impact the project will have on people experiencing homelessness locally.

‘Both His Royal Highness and the Duchy hope that this project will serve as an inspiration to others.’

Prince William poses for a selfie with a well-wisher at Fistral Beach in Newquay today
The Prince of Wales during a visit to Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, this afternoon
A nine-year-old boy named Phoenix Kanes asked William to sign his plaster cast on his arm in Newquay today – and the Prince obliged
Prince William walks with Alastair Martin, Secretary of Duchy of Cornwall, during a visit to Nansledan in Newquay, to see the site of the Duchy of Cornwall’s housing project today
The Prince of Wales is shown plans during a visit to Nansledan in Newquay this afternoon
The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall when in Cornwall, at Nansledan today
King Charles III during a visit to Gibraltar Barracks in Minley, Hampshire, this afternoon
King Charles III is shown a drawing of himself by Louie Bacon, six, during a visit to Gibraltar Barracks in Minley, Hampshire, this afternoon
King Charles III during a visit to Gibraltar Barracks in Minley, Hampshire, this afternoon
Elsewhere on Thursday, Charles met military staff and their families at a training base for the Army’s Royal Engineers in Surrey, while his wife Queen Camilla hosted a reception for an animal charity in London.

The King joked that he was glad to be ‘out of my cage’ as he embarked on his first military engagement since announcing a comeback to public-facing duties.

It comes as Prince Harry prepares to fly onto Nigeria after seeing neither during his quick visit to London which saw him attend a range of Invictus Games events.

Just yesterday, King Charles and other senior UK royals including Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Meanwhile just two miles away, a solitary Prince Harry attended a service of thanksgiving for Invictus at St Paul’s Cathedral, and was joined by members of the Spencer family.