Royal Seal of Approval for EYC as Prince William Pays Visit
- Esports Youth Club
- May 7
- 2 min read
We're used to seeing hundreds of young kings and queens socialising at our sessions every week, but having an actual Prince competing at Mario Kart on our consoles isn't a typical scene. It was a powerful moment for our young people as Prince William visited our Mentivity House session to a packed out youth club.
During the visit, Prince William got a hands-on introduction to the world of competitive gaming, playing EA Sports 25, laughing along with the group and experiencing first-hand the energy, excitement, and teamwork that define our sessions.
Young people spoke openly to the Prince about how gaming has impacted their lives—offering a safe outlet for expression, helping them cope with challenges, and building skills in communication and digital literacy.
He also met with staff and youth workers who help run our, and partner organisation Mentivity's programmes, learning more about the mission behind our club and how it fits into broader efforts to support mental well-being, reduce social isolation, and open up new opportunities for young people across London and beyond.
"It was a great day for our young people to be a part of and shows how far EYC has come, the Prince could work on his Mario Kart skills though!" - Paris - EYC Hub Manager
The visit was a moment of recognition for our staff and our youth club model. Seeing someone in his position take a genuine interest in youth development and the growing role of gaming in positive community engagement shows the rapid traction we are gaining. We want to thank everyone who helped make this possible — and most of all, the young people who showed up with their passion, honesty, and skill. They are the heartbeat of everything we do.
Significantly, we'd like to extend a big thank you to the funders who have made it possible for us to continue to deliver free weekly sessions for young people at Mentivity. These include: United St Saviour's, Active Communities Network, Southwark Neighbourhoods Fund and Peckham Settlement.
We run free sessions at Mentivity House in Walworth every Friday from 4-6pm.
Check out some external press coverage of the visit here: https://esports-news.co.uk/2025/04/25/prince-william-visits-southwark-youth-club-playing-popular-esports-games-with-students/
Comments