Prince William said Princess Charlotte is following in her mother’s footsteps by learning piano, and confirmed that his two sons are taking up music too, as he visited a youth organisation in south London on Tuesday.
The Prince of Wales, 43, toured Spiral Skills in Lambeth, which has received funding from his homelessness initiative Homewards to move into a new hub at The Oasis Village in Tulse Hill. During a session in a community music studio, William told young musicians he makes sure his children learn to play instruments because music is "crucial, really important." He said Prince George plays guitar, Princess Charlotte plays piano and Prince Louis plays drums.
Speaking to participants during a workshop, William praised their rehearsals and singled out the confidence required to perform: "It's brilliant you guys have clearly done a lot of practising, well done, that's not easy doing that in front of everyone." When a 16‑year‑old asked whether he would play, William declined, saying he was "definitely not a drummer" and joked that his youngest would try if he were present because he has been practising.
Spiral Skills, founded in 2015, works with local schools and community organisations to support young people aged 14 to 25 at risk of exclusion or homelessness. Kensington Palace said the Homewards funding will help the group expand its workspace and continue early intervention, employability and creative support for young people. William also attended a workshop with Young Creators UK, a creative agency run by underrepresented young people that receives referrals from Spiral Skills.
Seth Pinnock, founder of Symphony Studios, said William acknowledged he had learned drums and keyboards when younger but had not continued because he could not read music. Pinnock added the prince said his children were learning keys and expressed hope they might visit the studio one day.
The Prince’s remarks drew a direct link to Princess Catherine’s public musical moments. The Princess of Wales performed an impromptu piano spot during the 2023 Eurovision final in Liverpool and played a duet at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve 2021. Kate learned piano and flute in her youth and participated in school ensembles, according to accounts of her school years.
William has previously joked about the family’s musical household. At last November’s Tusk Conservation Awards, he quipped that he spent "his entire life" with his fingers in his ears because Louis had taken up the drums.
The visit to Spiral Skills came as Prince Harry was in Nottingham on a separate engagement. Harry visited a Community Recording Studio in Nottingham on the same day while undertaking a four‑day trip to the U.K. in which he has met several of his patronages. In recent months, Harry has publicly criticised senior members of the royal family and has pursued legal challenges over his security arrangements in the U.K.; he lost a Court of Appeal challenge in May regarding protective security decisions.
William’s Lambeth engagement highlighted the combination of community arts provision and homelessness support his Homewards initiative seeks to promote. Spiral Skills and partner organisations emphasise creative and employability pathways as part of early intervention for young people facing social and housing insecurity.