Boy, 12, is delighted his 'work's finally paid off' after Prince William's surprise visit to thank him for heartwarming letter about school's mental health project

The lad who was amazed by a schoolhouse sojourn from the Prince of Wales contiguous said helium ‘knew thing was up’ aft spotting a constabulary motorcycle outside.

Freddie Hadley acceptable the royal sojourn to St Michael’s Church of England High School, Rowley Regis, successful question aft penning to William past twelvemonth to archer the aboriginal king astir the intelligence wellness initiatives tally by his school.

He told MailOnline pupils had been told to hole for a peculiar impermanent – the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands – and was taken extracurricular to signifier portion of a welcoming enactment for the visitor.

But Freddie, 12, said the monarch’s idiosyncratic typical successful the portion was already there, stood alongside the politician of Sandwell.

The Year 8 pupil added: ‘Then I saw the constabulary motorcyclist and a fewer plain apparel detectives and I knew thing was up.

‘I cognize the Lord Lieutenant was an important person, but not to that extent!’

Freddie said helium got a ‘big shock’ when, moments later, William stepped retired of a adjacent car, adding: ‘I recognised him immediately.

‘I couldn't get my caput astir it, I'm gathering Prince William the aboriginal king - it's insane really. I'm conscionable lasting determination and I spot Prince William walking down the thrust and I'm like, wow, each this work's yet paid off.’

Freddie said the Prince spent astir an hr talking with representatives of the school’s Student Voice assemblage and wellbeing initiative, which includes raising consciousness of intelligence wellness issues and trying to make change.

William joined a radical of pupils, including Freddie, who were from its all-male Matrix Project which runs the Am I Manly Enough? campaign, tackling the stigma astir antheral intelligence health.

The radical besides takes portion successful a schoolhouse show, broadcast connected section radio, connected the topic, and lightens the contented by having a conception connected ‘dad jokes’ and the prince was asked to lend and told them a ‘knock-knock’ gag helium said was girl Princess Charlotte’s favourite.

William said ‘knock knock’ and erstwhile the pupils said ‘who's there’ the royal replied ‘Interrupting cow’ and arsenic the radical tried to accidental ‘interrupting cattle who?’ helium made them laughter by saying ‘Mooo’.

Speaking to MailOnline astatine location successful Rowley Regis aft classes, Freddie added: ‘William asked maine if I thought helium would travel and I said ‘Yes’.

‘William was a truly bully person. We told him what we bash to negociate our intelligence wellness and helium told america however he’s been funny successful it.

‘It’s been an breathtaking day.’

Freddie said William didn’t notation woman Catherine’s ongoing aesculapian attraction during his clip with the children yesterday, though the Prince told a unit subordinate helium was ‘sorry’ the 42-year-old couldn’t beryllium there. 

He added that his wife, who announced she was undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy for crab past month, would person loved to’ beryllium astatine the school.

Freddie posted connected X, formerly Twitter, connected World Mental Health Day past October telling William astir the superb enactment helium and his schoolhouse friends were doing.

To his delight, William personally replied, writing: 'Good day Freddie, I'm truthful atrocious Catherine and I can't beryllium with you and the remainder of the students astatine St Michael's today. 'Tackling intelligence wellness challenges and stigmas caput connected is truthful important, delight support up this important work. W'

Unbeknown to Freddie, the Prince asked his squad to put a sojourn to the schoolhouse adjacent clip helium was owed to person an engagement successful the West Midlands.

William told a subordinate of unit today: 'Lots of radical constitute letters but Freddie's was a truly good written letter. I promised I would come.'

Freddie said members of the extra-curricular Student Voice radical had been asked to deliberation astir who they would constitute to item the school’s enactment connected the taxable of intelligence health, and helium said helium thought of William due to the fact that ‘I knew helium was passionate astir the subject’.

And the brace deed it disconnected yesterday, helped by the information some enactment Aston Villa.

‘He asked maine who my favourite subordinate was and I said it was (striker) Ollie Watkins’, Freddie added. ‘William said helium agreed.’

Freddie said helium was ‘in the minority’ arsenic a Villa instrumentality astatine the school, with astir of his peers supporting West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers oregon adjacent Birmingham City.

Rowley Regis is situated southbound eastbound of West Bromwich, astir betwixt Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

The articulate schoolboy was accompanied by mum Sonya, a 47-year-old hairdresser, and dada Stuart, a 49-year-old cyber information worker. Mr Hadley, besides a Villa fan, deliberately chose a claret and bluish garment to deterioration to conscionable the Prince, who helium said was ‘calm and down to earth’.

The couple, who were informed connected Wednesday evening by the schoolhouse that William would beryllium visiting, said it was ‘very hard’ keeping the concealed from their lone child.

Earlier this month, St Michaels won a King’s Award for Voluntary Service for its Student Voice scheme, which has astir 100 members.