The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined a kickabout at the home of football in Northern Ireland at the start of a two-day visit to the region.
William and Kate were on opposing sides during a high-energy game with local schoolchildren at Windsor Park in Belfast. It was during this that Kate hugged and comforted one girl who became emotional and made the touching revelation.
Having donned trainers for the occasion, both participated with gusto, running about with their young teammates, passing and tackling during the well-spirited encounter.
The tour of the recently redeveloped stadium marked the first engagement on what is the couple’s third official visit to Northern Ireland.
Later they were greeted by cheering children as they arrived at an outdoor activity centre in Co Fermanagh, and on Wednesday night they will attend an informal party for young people at Belfast’s famous Empire music hall.
On a day of competition for the royals, at the Roscor Youth Village Kate and William went head to head in a canoeing race on Lough Erne.
They were part of two teams which raced in Canadian canoes, with William’s boat crowned the winner, reaching the marker a few seconds ahead of Kate’s.
On the visit to the centre, which is run by the charity Extern, Kate also helped assemble a tent before taking part in a game of archery.
The duchess missed her first shot, but with some tips from the children hit the target on her second attempt.
Meanwhile, William’s balance was tested as he walked across a low-ropes assault course. Children urged him on until he made it to the end and they celebrated with a cheer.
On the Windsor Park turf, the duke and duchess both had a go at dribbling drills, to the delight of the young footballers.
Kate ran around a marked-out square, keeping the ball under control, and also jogged up and down on the spot.
At one point, the duchess hugged and comforted nine-year-old Jasmine Andrews after she became emotional about the occasion.
Jasmine, a pupil at Fane Street primary school, later revealed how Kate had made her smile through the tears.
She said: “I got a little bit nervous and started to cry and she asked me was I a little bit shy, and I said ‘I am’, and she said that she used to be shy when she was little too.”
Igor Lackis, nine, said he had been impressed by the couple’s footballing skills.
“We were playing a football match together and they were pretty good, both of them were really good,” he said.
“I blocked the prince’s shots attempting to score.”
During their tour of the venue, the couple also met Northern Ireland footballing great Pat Jennings.
The former Tottenham and Arsenal goalkeeper is Northern Ireland’s record caps holder, with 119 appearances during a career that took in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.
William and Kate were shown a bronze cast print of the stopper’s celebrated “safe hands” as they walked through the stadium’s heritage centre.
As William extended his arm to shake Jennings’s hand, he said: “Now there’s a man who needs no introduction.”
William later put his own hands in the print, remarking to the record-breaking keeper: “You have really long fingers.”
Afterwards, Jennings praised the attitude of the royals.
“They are a special couple,” he said. “To come and do what they did today, entertained us and the kids.
“They have given not only us but the kids a day that they will never forget.”
Current Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill accompanied the couple on their tour of the venue.
O’Neill, who himself won 31 caps playing for Northern Ireland, has been credited with bringing the glory days back to the team during his tenure as boss.
He led the side to its first major tournament in 30 years at the 2016 European Championships in France.
Of the royal visitors, he said: “They are so personable, easy to chat to and made everybody feel relaxed.”
The national manager praised William’s football knowledge but joked that he should not count on his beloved Aston Villa making a return to the top of English football just yet.
“I don’t think he’s overly optimistic about watching Premiership football as a Villa fan in the near future,” said O’Neill.
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