Prince William Makes Surprisingly Candid Joke in Front of Dad Prince Charles — and Charles Jokes Back!

Prince William and Prince Charles shared an unexpected joke about how there were "too many" of them on the outing

Like father, like son!

Prince William and Prince Charles shared a couple lighthearted moments during their appearance alongside their wives at a rehabilitation center in Leicestershire on Tuesday.

In a rare outing together, the two heirs to the British throne brought their future queens, Kate Middleton and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, making their trip a little more chaotic than their usual engagements, which normally consist of just one or two royal members.

At one point the Duke of Cambridge, 37, joked that it was bad enough when there were just two of them. “When there’s four of us it’s a nightmare,” he said.

Charles, 71, chimed in, “There’s too many of us!”

Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (3L) and his wife Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2R) talk with his father Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (R) and his wife Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (2L) during their visit to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) in Loughborough, central England on February 11, 2020
RICHARD POHLE/POOL/AFP via Getty
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during a joint visit to the defence medical rehabilitation centre (DMRC) Stanford Hall on February 11, 2020 in Loughborough, United Kingdom
Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge talks to staff and patients during a visit to the defence medical rehabilitation centre (DMRC) Stanford Hall on February 11, 2020 in Loughborough, United Kingdom
Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty

The Prince of Wales also later remarked to reporters that he hoped their shorthand was up to scratch “with so many of us running around.”

Outside of church services, concerts and occasions such as Remembrance Day, it is unusual to have the two couples together at the same engagement.

During their visit to the new rehabilitation center for service personnel, the couples viewed some of the therapy areas and meeting patients as they took part in gym sessions. They were also shown the prosthetics workshop and spoke to patients and staff about the clinical and therapy services on site.

The Duke of Cambridge has his shoulders rubbed by the Prince of Wales after he attempted and failed to throw a basket ball into the hoop while playing wheelchair basket ball during a visit to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall, Stanford on Soar, Loughborough, where they met with patients and staff and had a tour of the gym and prosthetics workshop.

William even tested his skills at wheelchair basketball during part of a gym session, and his father unexpectedly decided to step in and help out by pushing his son’s wheelchair closer to the rim after the royal struggled to score a basket.

But even with Charles’ help, William still struggled to score after two more attempted shots. After missing the third consecutive basket, the Prince of Wales gave him an encouraging rub of the shoulders and William exclaimed: “It’s not going to go in!”

The Duke of Cambridge has his shoulders rubbed by the Prince of Wales after he attempted and failed to throw a basket ball into the hoop while playing wheelchair basket ball during a visit to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall, Stanford on Soar, Loughborough, where they met with patients and staff and had a tour of the gym and prosthetics workshop.
Prince William and Prince Charles. Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Images

Finally, on William’s sixth attempt proved successful. Spectators and staff on the side can be seen and heard clapping and cheering for the team effort as the prince raises his arms in the air to celebrate before getting up and shaking hands of the two employees who helped him.

The DMRC also provides valuable education, research and training in military rehabilitation, and provides services to a small group of veterans in the form of the Complex Prosthetic Assessment Clinic (CPAC), a joint Ministry of Defence and National Health Service England outpatient clinic.

The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall, Stanford on Soar, Loughborough, where they met with patients and staff and had a tour of the gym and prosthetics workshop.
Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Images

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William is patron of the appeal for the DMRC, which opened in October 2018. Based at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire, it treats members of the Armed Forces who are suffering from musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, complex trauma and those who need rehabilitation following neurological injury or illness.

After the visit, the two royal couples went their separate ways, with Charles and Camilla heading into nearby Leicester to visit a thriving market, meet members of a local women’s charity and watch a performance by local schoolchildren to celebrate the diversity of the city.

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