HELLO!: Somerset Café Guest Apologises to William Over the Prince the Singer Mix-Up

Prince William's most talked about royal engagement of the autumn may turn out to be a brief chat in a Somerset café. The Prince of Wales has received a heartfelt apology from a young man who mistook him for Prince, the late American singer, and asked him to perform "Purple Rain", HELLO! reported, after the royal shared the story on The Graham Norton Show.

The exchange took place at the Sweet Surprise café in Ilminster, and it has since become one of the warmest royal stories of the season, thanks in large part to the grace with which everyone involved has handled it.

The Story William Told on Graham Norton

William, 44, appeared on the BBC's The Graham Norton Show on Friday, 23 October, alongside fellow guests Cate Blanchett, Hannah Waddingham and Robert Irwin. He did not name the man involved, but recalled visiting local communities in Somerset when, as HELLO! reported, "one lovely gentleman looked up at me from his seat and said, 'When are you going to sing?'"

William said he asked what was meant, and the man pressed on: "When are you going to sing your performance?" At that point, the Prince recounted, "the lady behind tapped his arm and went, 'No, no, he's not that prince'." On the same programme William also spoke about his childhood dream of becoming a DJ or a policeman and looked ahead to his Earthshot Prize environmental awards in Mumbai.

Meet Sebastian Smith

The gentleman in question has since been identified as Sebastian Smith, 22, an adult learner at Sweet Surprise, which provides workplace education for adults with learning difficulties. Sebastian has Rubinstein Taybi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, and according to his family he is a devoted fan of Prince the singer.

His mother, Claire, told The Sun that she did not think Sebastian had any idea who Prince William was, but that he is "a massive fan of Prince the singer and can list all his songs and knows all the lyrics." Speaking to reporters alongside her husband, Mike, she described her son as "a bundle of joy", adding that their phones "went crazy" after the programme aired because friends recognised the story.

According to the Mirror, William had been in the area to launch a new project with the National Emergencies Trust when he called in at the café.

A Letter to Kensington Palace

Sebastian's family have helped him write to the Prince. Claire said the letter, which they are sending to Kensington Palace, thanks William for visiting Ilminster and apologises for mistaking him for the singer, and that Sebastian signed it off with "lots of love". She added that she hopes the Prince gets to see it.

His parents were keen to share how remarkable their son is. Claire said that, despite his difficulties, Sebastian can count to ten in six different languages, can work out within a split second what day of the week your next birthday falls on, and plays the piano.

Café owner Jane Morgan said the royal visit was "a day that everyone will remember" and that William "joked along with the learners", adding simply, "he was perfect". She said the Prince took the Purple Rain request "in his stride with great fun", but admitted it was "very surreal" to hear him mention it on national television.

A Lesson in Royal Grace

For readers of Duchess Magazine, the episode offers a gentle masterclass in gracious manners. A case of mistaken identity can easily become awkward. Instead, William treated the moment with warmth on the day and affection in the retelling, never naming Sebastian and framing him only as a lovely gentleman. Sebastian, for his part, has answered with the most traditional courtesy of all: a handwritten note of thanks and apology.

There is a pleasing symmetry, too. Prince Rogers Nelson, who died in 2016, released "Purple Rain" in 1984, and it remains one of the most beloved songs of its era. That a young fan's love for the music should bring him face to face with a future King says something lovely about how music and monarchy can meet in everyday life.

What Happens Next

It is not yet known whether the letter has reached Kensington Palace, or whether the Prince will reply, and the Palace has not commented. William has been out of the public eye this week, as he and the Princess of Wales typically step back during the children's half term. Whatever comes next, Ilminster already has its happy ending: a royal visit the café will long remember, and a young man whose honest question gave the whole country a smile.