Prince William declares his love for pubs as he pours himself a pint during surprise visit
The Prince of Wales has called for the protection of pubs in England, and he made the call during a visit to the aptly named Prince of Peckham, where he pulled a pint and sampled some chicken meat.
“I could stay here forever,” William expressed his delight after meeting regulars and newcomers alike at the popular south London establishment.
The bar actively promotes community spirit through its “Chatty Patty” initiative, which encourages residents to connect over a cup of tea.
Speaking to a group attending the programme, he emphasized his passion for local bars: “I love bars. I want to do what I can to support them because I love the community. We need to protect our bars.”
The royal visit took place in Peckham, a vibrant, up-and-coming area known as a social hub for young people and often referred to as “little Lagos” due to its significant population of African descent. It is also the hometown of Hollywood actor John Boyega.
During his time in the area, William also toured the nearby Pecan charity. As well as running a vital food bank service, this organization provides vital support to people experiencing loneliness and lack of job opportunities.
The prince made a financial donation to charity after thieves recently stole stock.
William stepped behind the Prince of Peckham bar and pulled a pint of Red Stripe, a Jamaican ale, under the watchful eye of Clement Ogbonnaya, who founded the bar in 2017 as an inclusive “public house for all”.
After the host poured a drink and admitted he wasn’t doing a shift behind the bar, it was William’s turn – and after he finished pouring, he commented “not bad” and placed his effort next to the pint Mr Ogbonnaya had pulled up, saying: “I think it’s pretty good.”
The two shook hands and bumped shoulders as the guests applauded.
Mr Ogbonnaya, who was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s honors, later said of William’s attempt: “The pressure was on, I won’t lie. He couldn’t beat me, couldn’t pour a better pint than me but he wasn’t that far off.”
He said William had “come here and put something like Chatty Patty on the map, because we want Chatty Patty to exist all over London, not just in Peckham.”
He added: “Other community centers are, in my opinion, very underutilized spaces and could be used more for communities.
“The big thing he talked about was how do we do this because there are so many disenfranchised young black Britons in the country, how do we address this – how can we get more of these spaces with all this energy, all this love and enthusiasm from all over London.”
Before leaving, William had a special lunch of chicken jerky and bananas, telling guests as he left: “The jerk chicken blew my mind. I’m hoping Deliveroo can deliver it to Windsor.”
At the Pecan charity, which has been serving people in the London Borough of Southwark for over 35 years, William packed a box of food at the food bank warehouse with the help of volunteer Evelyn Oakley.
The prince is understood to have donated several thousand pounds after the warehouse theft in 2024, which will allow staff to replenish stock donated by local supermarkets.
William spoke about the theft when he first arrived, telling the trustees that he imagined “you coming in one morning and seeing it and how that made you feel” and “trying to find out how we could help.”
He also met staff, volunteers and customers during a laugh-filled chat around a table, telling the group: “It feels like a very happy family, it’s a family thing and compassion is so important – that’s the magic ingredient that every good charity has when it’s done right.
“Getting it right is a challenging dynamic, and when you get it right, it’s gold dust.”
