This is the heartwarming moment Prince William surprised a woman during a charity walk in memory of her late daughter.
In a video posted to Facebook, Emma Webb can be seen in total shock as the Prince of Wales appears out of nowhere to join her on day 13 of a fundraising trek from Wales to London.
Ms Webb, who lost her daughter Brodie – a promising equestrian – at age 16 to suicide in March 2020, wants to raise awareness around mental health in young people.
While pulling a life-size horse statue along a pavement near Slough – and oblivious to the future king’s presence behind her – the prince casually strolls towards her and shouts ‘boo’ before embracing her in a warm hug.
Emma told the Mail: ‘He put his arms out and I thought “right, I’m going to have a nice hug” so he gave me a nice hug, or a Welsh cwtch!’
The campaigner, who was walking with two other mothers bereaved by suicide, said it meant ‘everything’ that Prince William, a well-known champion of mental health, had come to support her – and he even leant a hand pushing Miles along for the 20 minutes he was there.
Emma said: ‘I was aware that he’d seen what I was doing on the news, but I wasn’t aware that he was going to turn up on the streets of Slough and walk with me, so it was amazing! He appeared from behind the horse and shouted “Boo” at me!
‘I turned around and I was just gobsmacked that he was stood there. Me, a little old Welsh lady from Newport with a plastic horse and the Prince of Wales is just stood in front of me!
‘I didn’t really know what to do when I saw him. He put his arms out and I thought “right, I’m going to have a nice hug” so he gave me a nice hug, or a Welsh cwtch!’
‘To have a hug from the future King, it’s just unthinkable, it was like an out of body experience.’
Emma said she and the other mother chatted to the prince for around 20 minutes about mental health, suicide prevention and their loved ones.
She also told the prince about the ‘mishaps’ she has had on her trek, including walking through mud, ice and along narrow towpaths – resulting in bits of Miles breaking – but how kind strangers have always been ready to help her.
Emma added of the prince’s visit: ‘For Prince William to come out and recognise what we’re trying to do…it’s just amazing.
‘You can’t get a more supportive backer than the Prince of Wales, so it really means everything to me that he came out today.’
She also praised the Mail for its ‘amazing’ support of her campaign and suggested the Prince may have even seen the paper’s coverage.
‘It’s what started the awareness off really. I think he said he read about it, so I’m gathering he might have seen it in the Daily Mail. I couldn’t be 100% sure though!’
Taking to her Facebook page, a stunned Emma wrote: ‘So day 13 and this happened. How very, very kind and supportive. Keep watching for the biggest surprise’.
The video begins with a clip of Ms Webb with a group of friends as they stand on a bustling street, poised to take photos to commemorate day 13 of their fundraising trek.
One of her pals opens up an umbrella as the weather takes a turn for the worst. Quite comically, the large mobile horse – brought along for the ride because Brodie was a keen horserider – was the only one to benefit from the shelter of the umbrella, as the friend placed it atop the figurine’s head.
While the women appeared engrossed in the photography session, a man accelerates his pace and moves towards the entourage.
Dressed in a khaki-coloured jacket, smart blue trousers and brown leather lace-up shoes, it becomes apparent that Prince William is the mystery man.
The prince immediately steps in front of Emma in order to gain her attention. Gobsmacked and in sheer disbelief, the mother pauses momentarily before cupping her face and letting out a huge jaw-dropping scream.
The prince seems delighted to support Emma’s initiative and immediately steps forward for a hearty hug – while her friends cry out in shock.
‘You surprised me there’ she finally blurts out – clearly still in disbelief. William then shakes hands and introduces himself to Emma’s friends.
The group share pleasantries while standing on the pavement as curious passers-by watch in amazement.
Emma has so far raised £30,000 for the trek for her daughter, who was a rising star of the showjumping world, with all A-star predictions for her GCSEs. She had disappeared into a patch of local woodland and ended her short life.
According to remembrance and charity site Do It For Brodie, apart from having difficulties with friends in school, there had been no warning signs that Brodie would take her life.
Speaking on the loss of her ‘beautiful and talented daughter’, Emma said: ‘I’m a mother, but now I have no child. I have all this love and nowhere to put it.
‘So I’ve tried to channel it into helping other people’s children, to make sure what happened to Brodie never happens to them’.
Coming to terms with the loss has not been easy for Emma, but she has since vowed to keep her only child’s memory alive by raising awareness about the difficulties young people face regarding mental health.
If you would like to donate to the cause, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/team/doitforbrodie
Elsewhere today, Prince William has praised the work of homelessness charity The Passage and said he was ‘deeply moved’ by visiting the charity as a child with Princess Diana.
The Prince of Wales, 41, shared a video explaining the ‘great work’ the charity does, including ‘life-changing’ work to prevent homelessness and human trafficking, which was posted on Twitter on ICAP’s 31st Charity Day.
‘Having a place to call home is such a precious thing. Each and every day the Passage work tirelessly to achieve a society where homelessness doesn’t exist and where everyone has a place to call home,’ he said.
He also praised ICAP for raising £160 million due to their charity days and said the funds help Passage to move the issue of homelessness from something ‘just managed’ to ‘something completely prevented’.
William is a keen advocate of homelessness prevention, and this week was spotted selling The Big Issue in west London.
