The Princess of Wales surprised everyone on Thursday when she made a surprise appearance at an engagement in Liverpool alongside her husband, Prince William, who was scheduled to attend. The pair put on a united front as they stepped out at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool for a cause very close to their hearts - suicide prevention.
After chatting with staff members, the royal couple headed pitchside where a team of people, including sporting celebrities like Kelly Holmes, Jill Scott and Tony Bellew, who were waiting to be pictured alongside them.
© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaWilliam and Kate took their seats on a bench, but off-camera directions ordered a reshuffle. During one hilarious moment, presenter Gabby Logan ended up seated snugly in between the pair. William looked confused and pointed out the error and gestured to his wife to move up, whilst also appearing to say "Catherine has to come to the middle". The Princess quickly obliged and soon everyone was smiling for the snap.
The royals both looked incredibly smart, Kate looking elegant in a teal suit from Edeline Lee, which she previously wore in Italy, and William exuding suave in a navy suit and blue tie - likely blue due to it being Everton's team colour.
The Prince's vital suicide prevention mission
© Getty ImagesThe engagement took place on World Suicide Prevention Day, and on the same day Prince William launched a poignant new toolkit, On Your Side, to help prevent suicide in sport. It has been developed by The Royal Foundation in partnership with the British Standards Institution and Chasing the Stigma.
The mission is to raise awareness and help sport organisations with the approaches needed for suicide prevention. In a new campaign video featuring England football captain Harry Kane and Formula One driver George Russell, he said: "Through my work on mental health, I have met people whose lives have been changed forever by suicide.
© Andrew Parsons / Kensington Pala"But I have also met people whose lives have been saved because someone stepped in to help. Each of their experiences has had a profound impact on me," William has written in a foreword to the document.
"In moments of need, the right support can make all the difference. We all have the power to help, and that’s why suicide prevention must be an important part of everyday sporting life."
He added: "I hope that On Your Side encourages everyone in sport, in every discipline and at every level, to make suicide prevention part of your game plan."
