IN A SPEECH to young people disowned by their parents because of their sexuality, the United Kingdom’s Prince William said on Thursday that he would wholeheartedly support his children if they were gay.
The future king, 37, is the first royal to open up on the subject and admitted he had recently discussed it with his wife Kate.
But the prince also confessed he worried that George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, or Louis, 1, could also be 'persecuted' if they were gay because they are third, fourth and fifth in line to the throne, respectively.
The Duke of Cambridge was visiting an LGBT charity in east London that helps young people forced on to the streets because of their sexual orientation or for being transgender.
One young gay man, who asked not to be identified, asked William: “If your child one day in the future said ‘Oh I'm gay, oh I'm lesbian’ whatever, how would you react?"
He replied: “I've been giving that some thought recently because a couple of other parents said that to me as well. I think you really don't start thinking about that until you are a parent, and I think – obviously absolutely fine by me.”
But William added: “It worries me, not because of them being gay, it worries me as to how everyone else will react and perceive it and then the pressure is then on them.”
His words have been praised on social media by campaigners who believe his comments will be well received.
One tweet: “The wonderful thing is that Prince William is the sort of person who can and will help stop the bullying that children who are LGBTQ (face).”
Another wrote: “How wonderful that the future King is using his influence and platform to be an ally for the LGBTQ community.”
William was speaking on a visit to the Albert Kennedy Trust, a charity that helps LBGT homeless young people.
When asked about his children he said: “The one thing I'd be worried about is how they – particularly the roles my children fill – is how that is going to be interpreted and seen.
“So Catherine and I have been doing a lot of talking about it to make sure they were prepared. I think communication is so important with everything, in order to help understand it you've got to talk a lot about stuff and make sure how to support each other and how to go through the process.”
During what is thought to be the first time a member of the UK royal family has visited a dedicated LGBT organisation, William also took part in a group discussion with several ambassadors – young people who have been supported by the charity and now mentor others using its services.-Daily Mail