The Duke of Cambridge has honoured some of the UK’s bravest and most selfless citizens at the Pride of Britain Awards.
This year’s awards, celebrating some of the country’s most courageous and pioneering people, highlighted the “unsung heroes” of the emergency services in a year blighted by terrorist attacks and devastation wrought by the Grenfell Tower fire.
In a celebrity-filled awards ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair, London, Prince William met some of the ceremony’s prize winners ahead of an on-stage presentation alongside pop superstar Ed Sheeran.
Among those the Prince chatted with in a pre-party reception was five-year-old Suzie McCash, who saved her mother’s life by phoning 999 and describing her symptoms to emergency responders when she collapsed and her breathing stopped.
Suzie, who is the recipient of a Child Of Courage award and was just four when she made the life-saving call, described to William how she was able to calmly ask for paramedics to attend the family home in Tynemouth, Northumberland, earlier this year.
Suitably impressed with her heroic efforts, William said he had “no idea” what his own son, Prince George, would do in such circumstances.
He said: “I have a four-year-old called George and if I gave him a telephone, I do not know what he would do.”
He added: “Do you know what, I’m going to have a conversation with my George about what to do because of what you’ve done – it’s really important.”
Teenage Child Of Courage award winner Moin Younis, who also spoke to William about his ambassador status for a hospice, said he thought the Duke was “one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet”.
Moin, 17, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes his skin to blister and bleed from the slightest of knocks, was recognised for his fearlessly positive outlook and determination not to let his condition get in the way of his aspirations and charity work.
He said: “It was crazy, it was amazing. The fact that he knows so much about me and obviously the stuff I do – it means a lot.”
Moin said he was also able to talk to the Prince about his shared love of Aston Villa football club and his thoughts about the current team.
The Duke also met two of the police heroes from the London Bridge terrorist attack, Wayne Marques and Charlie Guenigault, who tackled knife-wielding jihadis during their murderous rampage in June.
The officers said it had been “an honour” to meet the Prince and hear how much he knew of their efforts. Mr Marques said: “It’s great to be honoured by the Royal Family and to actually speak to him like that.”
During the presentation of a special recognition award to residents and community helpers at the Grenfell Tower fire, the Duke praised the “inspiring” efforts of those who helped in the aftermath of the blaze.
He said: “Thank you for the hard work you’ve all done, the community spirit you’ve shown, the coming together as you did so quickly after Grenfell. I’m just so sorry that such an awful event ever occurred.”
He added: “I can only imagine how horrendous and difficult it has been for you all.”
William also gave awards to the medics and firefighters who responded to the tragedy, and joined Sheeran in a presentation to emergency responders at the Manchester bombing in May. He said: “I genuinely don’t know how you see some of the things you see and I don’t understand how difficult it must have been for you.”
He added: “You take those scars home with you mentally and yet you come back the next day and you still do fantastic work.”