Prince William Joins Dragon Boat Race With Locals & Expats, Was Determined To Win
Unless you’ve been in hibernation, you’ll know that Prince William is in Singapore and was greeted by hundreds at Jewel Changi Airport on his first day.
On his second day, he did what you might expect of a foreign dignitary, which was meeting our leaders in a suit and tie.
However, he also dressed down to do something less typical for VIPs — he took part in a dragon boat race.
Source: David Salako on Facebook via BBC Breakfast
Better yet, his team won, with the Prince making a useful contribution to their success.
Prince William joins locals & expats in Dragon Boat training
The Prince of Wales, 41, joined the British Dragon Boat Team Singapore at a training session on Monday (6 Nov), reported the BBC.
Dressed in a black cap, white polo tee and black berms, he stood out among the other dragon boaters in their red-and-black tops.
Source: @princeandprincessofwales on Instagram
The other paddlers were a mix of locals, British expatriates living in Singapore, and representatives from across the Commonwealth, according to the Daily Mail.
Before getting in the boat, he was given a few tips on how to paddle.
Source: British Dragons Singapore on Instagram
Prince William keeps up the pace
Finally, it was time for His Royal Highness to get into the 22-seater boat with 19 other paddlers of both sexes, one drummer, and one steer.
Source: @princeandprincessofwales on Instagram
As his boat raced another boat against the Marina Bay skyline, it was evident that the Prince was no slouch when it came to keeping up with the others.
Source: @princeandprincessofwales on Instagram
Eventually, his boat won, thanks in no small part to his contribution.
Source: @ukinsingapore on Instagram
He kept up really well, says fellow paddlers
Laura Greenwood, the lucky paddler who sat next to the Prince, told the BBC that he “kept up really well” with the fast pace.
This is considering they did 20 “hard strokes” and paddled all the way.
Their boat won the 200m race by half a boat length, she added.
Describing the Prince as “a really nice guy”, Ms Greenwood said he’s welcome in the team whenever he wants to return.
Team captain Chris Bosher said the royal was “super engaged” throughout his time with them and was determined to win the race.
Another team member said he “didn’t miss a stroke” and praised the drummer for his “very good rhythm”.
He chats with team members
After the race, Prince William didn’t just scoot off — he took a break with his team members.
Source: @ukinsingapore on Instagram
He also chatted with others and posed for photos.
Source: @ukinsingapore on Instagram
We bet those lucky enough to be there won’t forget this visit anytime soon.
It probably shouldn’t be surprising to hear that Prince William has dragon boated before — he did so with his wife Catherine, the Princess of Wales, during a tour of Canada in 2011.
Perhaps that’s why he was so confident in his abilities.
Prince glad to be back in Singapore after 11 years
Prince William is in Singapore to attend the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony on Tuesday (7 Nov), which is being held in Singapore for the first time.
The environmental prize was founded by the Prince in 2020. Five winners will get £1 million (S$1.68 million) each to fund projects that help environmental causes.
In a statement on his official Instagram account, he said it’s “fantastic to be back in Singapore” after 11 years. His last visit to Singapore was in 2012 with his wife.
His busy schedule on Monday also included meeting President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Hopefully, he’ll get more chances to meet the public before his departure on Wednesday (8 Nov).
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Featured image adapted from @ukinsingapore on Instagram.
