Prince William visited a charity in Liverpool that uses cycling to improve physical and mental health – and while there he let slip the trick Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis like to pull while out on bike rides

Prince William has revealed how his children like to play a cheeky trick on him while out on family bike rides.

The Prince of Wales let slip Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’ playful prank while in Liverpool visiting a charity that helps young people from diverse backgrounds improve their physical and mental health through cycling. The organisation called Cycle of Life is supported by Children in Need and while there he helped pump up a bicycle tyre and and enjoyed a hot chocolate as he met young people who had been helped by the initiative, which was set up in 2020.

William watches as youngsters fix bikes at Cycle of Life, a non-profit cycling organisation in Liverpool ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

As he tested the brakes on the bike he worked on, he said he believed the correct way to stop was to squeeze both brakes at the same time, but joked his children like to do things differently. He said: “My children quite like pulling just the back brake and sliding along. Usually, the back wheel will come past you. There is a technique.”

William was due to join a short bike ride from the centre in Princes Road, Toxteth, but it was cancelled due to heavy rain and wind. Later during his visit to Liverpool yesterday, William was mobbed by people waiting for selfies and was left starstruck by meeting former Liverpool player and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish.

The royal was engulfed by people as he left the new Tiber community and football centre on Tagus Street before making his way to a waiting car.

William with Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish and former Everton stars Ian Snodin and Graeme Stuart ( 
Image:
Iain Watts/Liverpool Echo)
He took a tour of the centre, which is due to be completed in February with the help of funding from The Royal Foundation’s community impact programme, met young people involved in fundraising for the project and joined in a game of football before meeting Sir Kenny and former Everton players Ian Snodin and Graham Stuart.

They discussed football, with William telling former Liverpool striker and manager Sir Kenny that his former team would probably “steamroll everyone” as they sit top of the Premier League before Stuart joked it could “come off the rails” when they next face Everton.

Asked about his involvement in the football game he played with young people at the centre, the prince said: “We’ll ignore that. It is the worst thing when you turn up and try to play cold.”

William is mobbed by well-wishers in Liverpool ( 
Image:
Getty Images)Earlier in the day, William left train passengers shocked when he hopped on a service from London to travel to Liverpool for the day. The prince, 42, travelled north from London to Liverpool on an Avanti West Coast service and when other passengers and staff boarded the train, they were stunned to see the future King sitting in a first-class carriage.

William was said to be seen smiling as he happily chatted away to other passengers in the carriage and railway staff and when he got off the train at Liverpool Lime Street Station, he cheerily said hello to those also disembarking.