Prince William snubs King Charles' birthday celebration

Prince William’s visit to Northern Ireland today coincides with King Charles’s 76th birthday, for which the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a heartfelt birthday message to the monarch on social media earlier in the day.

During his stop at The Foyer, a Simon Community-supported facility offering temporary housing, William connected with young residents, listening to their personal journeys and the transformative support they've received. 

The Foyer is part of the Homewards Northern Ireland Coalition, which aims to combat youth homelessness by implementing effective, proven solutions and fostering shared learning across locations. 

Each year, around 140 young people leaving care in Northern Ireland are at risk of homelessness, and the Housing First For Youth service, a Simon Community initiative, provides these vulnerable individuals with stable housing and comprehensive support to ensure a safe transition to independent living.

Prince William’s tour continued at Ulster University, where he explored its top-tier virtual production facilities and received updates on the £72 million Studio Ulster project, designed to propel Northern Ireland’s creative economy. 

Over the last decade, Ulster University has been instrumental in building the region's creative sector, which now contributes £1.4 billion to the local economy and employs more than 24,000 people.