Man Apologises to Prince William for Mistaking Him for Singer Prince

A 22-year-old man has apologised to Prince William for mistaking him for the singer Prince. People reported the apology on 28 October 2026.

The mix-up happened during a visit to Somerset in the south-west of England. On Tuesday 6 October, William went to Ilminster to launch a new initiative aimed at bringing communities together in the face of extreme weather. He visited the Sweet Surprise Café, which offers opportunities to adults with learning disabilities.

The man is Sebastian Smith. He has Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. His mother, Claire, told Hello that her son is a huge fan of the singer Prince and assumed William was the same person.

William later recalled the encounter on The Graham Norton Show, the BBC chat programme. He said a man had asked him, "When are you going to sing?" The question made sense to the man, who believed he was speaking to the singer.

Smith is now sorry for the mix-up. According to Hello, his family is helping him write a letter of apology to William. Hello reported this on 30 October 2026.

Away from the café visit, William has also spoken about his family's viewing habits. In an interview reported by People on 23 October 2026, he said his children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are currently obsessed with The Celebrity Traitors, the British television game show in which contestants try to deceive each other while hiding who is a traitor.

For anyone who has ever been mistaken for someone famous, the story offers a light moment. A royal visit to a community café ended with a question about singing and a fan's apology.