Prince Edward's touching gesture goes viral during milestone visit

Prince Edward is winning hearts in Canada as he makes his first major solo overseas tour since being given the Duke of Edinburgh title last year.

As reported by Hello! magazine, the youngest sibling of King Charles III made a sweet impression on day one of his solo royal tour after he embraced a member of the public during a walkabout in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Barbara Bernard, a local resident, approached the 61-year-old royal with a bold request: “I asked him if he wanted a hug.” She added, “He said ‘OK’ and gave me one. He was a very good hugger.”

Following his visits to Belgium and Northern Ireland earlier this month, Edward kicked off his seven-day Canadian tour on June 26, focusing on youth engagement, education, and reconciliation. 

Earlier in the day, the 61-year-old Duke attended the Atlantic Canada Education Forum, joined a youth luncheon hosted by the Lieutenant Governor, and visited the Abegweit First Nation in Scotchfort before rounding out the evening with a formal dinner at Government House.

His wife, Duchess Sophie, 60, has remained in the UK, where she’s expected to continue with her own royal duties. The couple were last seen together at Royal Ascot earlier this month.

Edward's tour will continue this week with stops in Nova Scotia and other provinces before he returns home on July 2.