There's no shame in being who you are -- and the Duke of Cambridge proved it when he took part in an important anti-bullying event in which participants were asked to define themselves by the traits they have that set them apart from everyone else. Instead of skirting around the obvious, Prince William honestly revealed that being a prince make him different -- and that the role comes with great responsibilities.
During the anti-bullying workshop, which was run by the Diana Award charity, the prince joined school-age children and all were asked to write on large pieces of paper what "defines" them. British TV singing coach Carrie Grant, who hosted the exercise, said he expected William to write about how his mother died when he was young, but was surprised to see the prince very simply write, "I Am A Prince" on his card.
"But I love the fact that in a way he did challenge us because no one else in the room could say that," Grant said. "We all think 'aren't you lucky?' but that comes with responsibility and a load of other things he's had to process and journey through. There are challenges to that."
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By choosing to highlight his royal status, William is telling everyone that the only thing that's really so different about him is that he just so happened to be born into a family that holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people in Great Britain and around the world. It proves he doesn't take advantage of the fact that he is viewed in a certain way and that there are expectations of him based on his family history.
After William and the children spoke about what makes them unique, he learned a rap song the kids wrote called Record It, Report It and vowed to be involved in whatever way he could to help them plan an anti-bullying "Stand Up Day" in May. Neither the children nor charity organizers could stop singing Will's praises and noting that he is actively listening and truly cares about the well-being of children.
It's beautiful to know that William isn't just helping young people, but that he's presenting his true self to them and not putting up a front to make it seem like he's just like them. He's not at all like them -- and that's okay — because his status allows him to help them come up with positive outcomes to their problems.
Image via James Whatling/Splash News