Prince William received a warm greeting at Surplus to Supper Credit: Alastair Grant/AP
Prince receives get well soon cards as he helps pack bags at food centre in first engagement since wife revealed cancer diagnosis
Victoria Ward, Deputy Royal Editor
Prince William promised to “look after” the Princess of Wales as he made his first public appearance since her cancer announcement a month ago.
The Prince, 41, gave a helping hand loading food and cooking in the kitchen at food distribution charity Surplus to Supper, in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey.
Volunteer Rachel Candappa, 71, handed two get well soon cards to the Prince addressed to the King and the Princess of Wales.
The Prince, who looked visibly moved, said: “Thank you, you are very kind”.
When Ms Candappa told the Princess to look after his wife he placed his left hand on her shoulder and said: “I will.”
Speaking afterwards, the volunteer, from Sunbury-on-Thames, said: “I was at home at 8.30 last night and I thought I had to do something this is a chance to give a card directly to the palace officials. I didn’t think I’d be able to give the cards to William.
“I said ‘can I shake your hand’, I loved it, he was very down to earth. I’m never washing my hand again.
“He pointed at the food and said ‘that’s spaghetti hoops’ and I asked ‘how do you know about spaghetti hoops and he said ‘I’ve got children’.
Ms Candappa added she had only finished writing her get well soon cards at 1am.
She revealed that the text written inside the car read: “Nation’s hearts were broken when you very courageously went on the global stage on your own to talk about your personal health issues.
“With no trimmings or flowering around issues, you gave the few chosen words to assure anyone who cares to listen that you will fight this dreadful ‘C’ disease. You must have had a lot of steel in you to hold it together.”
Surplus to Supper is based at Sunbury Cricket club, and the Prince told his hosts how his son Louis “loves” the sport.
Inside, the Prince saw volunteers sorting out items including soaps, hand wash and make-up, telling host Claire Hopkin, operations director of Surplus to Supper, he was surprised “how much we throw away”.
The prince also helped out in the kitchen with chef Mario Colfait who was making bolognese, sausage casserole and chilli con carne.
He pulled on an apron called out: “It smells good in here Mario” before being handed a massive knife and asked to slice celery for the pot.
The Prince joked he was worried about slicing off his fingers. He said: “It’s the biggest knife, hope for the best,” adding: “I don’t want to mess up everyone’s lunch. I hope I haven’t ruined your lunch, but you can blame me.”
The kitchen cooks “culturally-appropriate” food delivered to families in a five-mile radius including frozen meals to care homes.
The Prince had privately given the charity a box of unused food taken from the kitchen cupboards at Adelaide Cottage.
The visit marks his first official appearance since the Princess of Wales, 42, announced on March 22 that she was undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy treatment.
She revealed in a video message that, following successful abdominal surgery in January, post-operative tests found that “cancer had been present”.
The statement was released to coincide with the end of the school term, allowing the Prince and Princess to shield Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, from the ensuing publicity.
The family decamped to their Norfolk home for the school holidays but returned to Windsor in time for the children to return to school on Wednesday.
The Prince’s last public engagement was almost a month ago, on March 19, when he visited Sheffield to promote his Homewards homelessness initiative though he was spotted last week at an Aston Villa football match with Prince George.
He is expected to maintain a reduced timetable, as he has since the beginning of the year, as he juggles work with supporting his wife and children while the Princess’s cancer treatment continues.
The Prince’s focus on food waste is reflective of one of the key priorities of his Earthshot Prize.
The reduction of food waste helps protect the environment by reducing emissions from landfill.
Founded in 2017, Surplus to Supper redistributes more than three tonnes of surplus food every day to hundreds of local projects such as foodbanks, charities, schools, and community organisations.
It relies on 200 volunteers to collect food that would otherwise go to landfill from local retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and caterers before redistributing it to those most in need.
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