Royal family: Meghan Markle could offer unspoken ‘olive branch’ to immediately heal royal rift

Prince William today returned to royal duties for the first time since the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis – and dropped a fun fact about his youngest son, Prince Louis.

The Prince of Wales, 41, lent a hand loading food and cooking in the kitchen at the charity Surplus to Supper, in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey. The future king smiled, joked and appeared relaxed as he toured the organization and learned about its work providing food banks and other organizations with toiletries, locally prepared meals and donated produce. The charity is based at Sunbury Cricket Club and shook hands with volunteers when he arrived to help with the charity. And given his sporting environment, he talked about how “Louis loves” cricket.

Louis turns six on Tuesday and has previously shown his love for the sport in photos released almost two years ago on the occasion of his fourth birthday. The portraits, taken by Kate, showed the youngster holding a cricket ball. Meanwhile, his older brother Prince George is also known to love cricket and last year joined William on a special day out at the home of the sport’s Lords to watch England take on Australia in the Ashes.

Meanwhile, William vowed to “take care” of the Princess of Wales during today’s engagement, a month after his wife revealed she is receiving preventive chemotherapy. Volunteer Rachel Candappa, 71, presented the prince with two get well cards, addressed to the king and Kate. William, looking visibly moved, said: “Thank you, you are very kind.” When Rachel told the heir to the throne that he had to take care of Kate, he placed his left hand on her shoulder and promised “I will.” Afterwards, Rachel, from Sunbury-on-Thames, said: “I said look after her and he said ‘I will’.

“I was home at half past eight last night and I thought I had to do something. This is an opportunity to give a card directly to the palace officials. I didn’t think I would be able to give the cards to William. I said” can I shake your hand?’, I loved it, he was very down to earth, I never washed my hand again.”

Read more: William lets slip of the sport Prince Louis ‘loves’ as he returns to royal duties