A 22-year-old Somerset man who mistook the Prince of Wales for pop star Prince has sent him an apology letter. Days later, Prince William shared the amusing encounter during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. Following this, Smith’s family helped him write to the prince to clarify the mix-up and thank him for his visit.
Sebastian Smith, an adult with severe learning difficulties, met Prince William during a royal visit to a café earlier this month.
Prince William, while appearing on the popular chat show on October 23, told the story of how he was once mistaken for singer Prince. Smith’s family revealed that he has Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. However, the royal didn’t reveal the person’s name or where it happened. He admitted to being confused initially. After the episode aired, Smith’s family came forward. It is a rare genetic disorder which can affect an individual’s growth and intellectual development.
“I went to a place in Somerset and was looking around some of the local communities there, and one lovely gentleman looked up at me from his seat and said, ‘When are you going to sing?’” the prince said. He recalled, “I’ve had many requests over many years from all ranging parts of society , and I said, ‘I’m sorry, what do you mean?’” Turns out the man mistook him for the American singer and songwriter Prince. The royal, smiling, added that the man wanted him to sing “Purple Rain”. In the show, the prince also revealed that there was a phase when he thought he would be a DJ and decided on the stage name “DJ Xara”. “To be honest, I don’t think Sebastian had any idea who Prince William was — but he’s a massive fan of Prince the singer and can list all his songs and knows all the lyrics,” Smith’s mother Claire told the Sun. She continued, “Considering his learning difficulties, it is amazing,” adding, “So when Prince William arrived at Sweet Surprise, Sebastian assumed it was Prince the singer!
