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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Prince William Responded in the Funniest Way When a Young Royal Fan "Burst Into Tears" Upon His Arrival

    "This is Sebastian, he's been waiting for you."

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 9 July 2026 In News

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    Prince William wears a gray suit jacket, a blue shirt and black slacks to visit Hastings, where he meets children and royal fans on the seafront
    (Image credit: WPA Pool/Getty Images/CARLOS JASSO / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
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    Prince William regularly makes jokes when conducting official royal engagements and his sense of humor definitely seems to help, even in more serious moments. On July 9, the Prince of Wales made a solo visit to Hastings, England, but one royal fan wasn't necessarily impressed after meeting the royal.

    Prince William met a plethora of people during his visit to Hastings, including a baby named Sebastian. Per the BBC, a woman introduced the baby to William, saying, "This is Sebastian, he's been waiting for you."

    According to the outlet, "when William crouched down, Sebastian burst into tears," which probably isn't the reaction the royal expected.

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    Not missing a beat, Prince William told Sebastian, "I know how you feel."

    Prince William wears a gray suit jacket, a blue shirt and black slacks to visit Hastings, where he meets children and royal fans on the seafront

    Prince William visits Hastings in England on July 9.

    (Image credit: Gareth Fuller / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

    The Prince of Wales also remarked on how "hot" it was in the seaside town, and asked inhabitants if they were planning to go for a swim in the sea, via Hello! magazine.

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    Per the outlet, 4-year-old Arthur Turney—who was dressed as Spider-Man for the occasion—said he'd go swimming "when I get older." William responded by saying, "Today is the chance to swim. Go and make a big splash!"

    Prince William wears a gray suit jacket, a blue shirt and black slacks to visit Hastings, where he meets children and royal fans on the seafront

    Prince William visits Hastings in England on July 9.

    (Image credit: CARLOS JASSO / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

    On the Prince and Princess of Wales's Instagram account, a caption said of William's outing, "A visit to Hastings Commons, where neglected buildings have been transformed into homes, workspaces, and welcoming community spaces."

    The caption continued, "Meeting young people at the youth club and spending time in the 'Public Living Room,' a place where anyone can find warmth, conversation, and connection. A powerful example of how community-led regeneration is creating opportunities and bringing people together."

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Prince William wears a gray suit jacket, a blue shirt and black slacks to visit Hastings, where he meets children and royal fans on the seafront

    Prince William meets royal fans in Hastings on July 9.

    (Image credit: CARLOS JASSO / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

    Basically, Prince William's trip to Hastings appears to have been a huge success, even if one royal fan did start crying.

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    Amy Mackelden
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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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