Prince William jokes about dropping babies in Brazil

Prince William may be on official duty in Brazil, but his latest royal outing was pure heart melting magic.

During his visit to the tiny island of Paquetá in Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay, the future King was greeted like a global superstar, cheers of “William! William!” rang out as he stepped off a Brazilian Navy boat. 

Locals lined the streets waving flags and phones, but it was one tiny fan who stole the show.

In a truly adorable moment, William was handed 10 month old Joaquim Monteiro by his grandmother, Christina, and instinctively scooped the baby into his arms. 

“I mustn’t drop him!” he quipped with a grin, before gently asking, “What’s his name? How old is he?” and cooing, “Bless him.”

The prince’s easy charm and fatherly instincts didn’t go unnoticed. “Nobody asked him, he just picked him up,” said Joaquim’s cousin, Andre Luis Junior. “It’s probably because he has three kids. He loves children.”

The island declared the royal visit 'The Day of the Prince,' with schoolchildren making colourful drawings and banners welcoming him as “Prince of the Island.” 

Ever the crowd pleaser, William crouched down to take selfies, even grabbing a few phones to snap the perfect shot himself.

As crowds gathered on the sun soaked island of Paquetá, young Marcel Gomes de Castro stepped forward with a special surprise for the visiting Prince: two hand-painted masterpieces, a vivid seascape and a naval boat gliding through the island’s small harbour. 

His proud father, Alan, revealed, “He finished them two years ago, but they were so special he wanted to give them to the Prince. Everyone here is very excited.”

William, clearly touched, examined the paintings closely before beaming, “Did you really paint that!? That’s incredible, brilliant. That’s so kind of you, thank you very, very much.” The prince’s genuine delight earned him plenty of smiles and a few new fans.

Proving he’s been brushing up on his Portuguese, William was heard saying “obrigado” and “bom dia” over and over, even clasping his hands together in thanks when words failed him. 

When he met a travelling school group, he couldn’t resist a cheeky quip, joking that “the teachers are noisier than the kids,” sparking laughter all around.

Among the delighted locals who chatted with the Prince were Felicity Clarke, from Stoke-on-Trent, now working at the University of Rio de Janeiro, and her friend Luciana Meireles, whose Manchester-born husband was equally thrilled.