'Kate, the Queen and my dog': Prince William reveals wife, close family and his spaniel Lupo would support him against bullies at event honouring Princess Diana

  • Prince William revealed his close family ties at an anti-bullying event
  • 33-year-old royal would turn to his wife, his brother and his father if bullied
  • William also said his dog would be a source of comfort if he felt sad
  • The campaign highlighted cyber bullying and homophobic bullying

Prince William has revealed that he would turn to his family if he felt he were being bullied. 

Asked to name the five people he would use as a support network the future king wrote on a giant hand the name of his wife, Catherine, then his brother, Harry, followed, by his father, Prince Charles, grandmother, the Queen, and grandfather Prince Philip. 

And although he wasn't actually allowed a sixth, the 33-year-old royal wrote his pet Spaniel Lupo in brackets as an afterthought. 

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Prince William, Duke Of Cambridge takes part in a group exercise during his visit to Hammersmith Academy to support the Diana Award's Anti-bullying Campaign, writing the names of his support network on a hand

Prince William, Duke Of Cambridge takes part in a group exercise during his visit to Hammersmith Academy to support the Diana Award's Anti-bullying Campaign, writing the names of his support network on a hand

Prince William said the five people who would act as his support network if he was bullied are his wife, Catherine, then his brother, Harry, followed, by his father, Prince Charles, the Queen, and Prince Philip

Prince William said the five people who would act as his support network if he was bullied are his wife, Catherine, then his brother, Harry, followed, by his father, Prince Charles, the Queen, and Prince Philip

William gave an insight into his close family network at an event run by The Diana Awards, named in memory of his late mother, to highlight its #Back2School Anti-bullying campaign. 

The award scheme has started an ambassador programme, training children, staff and parents to help tackle the issue in their communities. The scheme aims to help young people understand that there is no need for them to suffer in silence. 

William took part in a training session at Hammersmith Academy in West London focusing on cyber-bullying and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual bullying. 

The prince was asked, with the other ambassadors, to write down one of the signs they could use to spot someone who was being bullied and how they would help them. 

William wrote 'fear' and 'communicate'. It is hoped the sessions will help the ambassadors recognise signs of bullying and how they can encourage victims to spasm out and seek help. 

More than 16,000 Anti-bullying ambassadors have already been trained by the Diana Award in 3,000 schools across the UK. 

 Despite only having five spaces on his hand, William wrote down his dog's name, Lupo, in brackets

 Despite only having five spaces on his hand, William wrote down his dog's name, Lupo, in brackets

In the hour-long training session the prince was asked to write down one of the signs they could use to spot someone who was being bullied and how they would help them. He wrote 'fear' and 'communication'

In the hour-long training session the prince was asked to write down one of the signs they could use to spot someone who was being bullied and how they would help them. He wrote 'fear' and 'communication'

During an hour-long training session William vowed that if he saw anyone bullying a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender‎ person he would step in and confront the abuser after comforting the victim.

'I would try to confront, to tackle the person. I usually find myself right in in the middle of problems so that's pretty much where I'd be,' he said during an LGBT session where participants were asked to stand on one side if they would comfort the victim, on another if they would confront the perpetrator, or at the back if they would adopt another strategy.

‎His support for confronting the homophobic bully was hailed as the 'embodiment' of Princess Diana's legacy and a landmark moment by Tom Broughton, 17, who had told the Duke of Cambridge how an anonymous online stalker had urged him to kill himself after he came out as gay when he was in his final year of secondary school.

Prince William sticks a post-it note on Daniel, aged 11 from Derbyshire, who is an anti-bullying ambassador

Prince William sticks a post-it note on Daniel, aged 11 from Derbyshire, who is an anti-bullying ambassador

The session at Hammersmith Academy in West London focused on cyber-bullying and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual bullying. William vowed that if he saw homophobia he would step in to confront the bully

The session at Hammersmith Academy in West London focused on cyber-bullying and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual bullying. William vowed that if he saw homophobia he would step in to confront the bully

Tom, an upper sixth-former at Sharnrook Upper School in Bedford, said: 'It was great to have his support, to have somebody of that stature and that high up, speaking up against homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.

'It's something that must be really deeply rooted in his want for justice and for everybody to be equal. It's just amazing to see someone from royalty‎ stand up and say this.‎'

 I usually find myself right in in the middle of problems so that's pretty much where I'd be
Prince William 

‎Tessy Ojo, chief executive of the Diana Award agreed about William.

She said: 'He wanted to confront the perpetrator but when he heard the explanation from others who wanted to comfort the other person, he wanted to do a bit of that too.

'If you are hearing young people saying they've been told to kill themselves because they are gay, that's just not acceptable.

'Princess Diana was never a bystander. She didn't see a problem and just leave it. She did something about it. It's about why the Diana Award believes in the ethos of getting young people to change their world.'

Actor Will Poulter, who has starred in the Chronicles of Narnia and Maze Runner, is a Diana Award Anti-Bullying Ambassador and stood alongside William.

He admitted that he had suffered a degree of bullying at school but had more seen it happen to others and said he felt inspired by the event.

'Fortunately my school was very pro-active about tackling bullying but others are not so lucky and feel very much alone,' he said.

The prince chose his wife, Kate, who he met at university and is pictured with here at the Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony in 2016, as his number one supporter, but added his dog Lupo to the list as well 

The prince chose his wife, Kate, who he met at university and is pictured with here at the Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony in 2016, as his number one supporter, but added his dog Lupo to the list as well 

The Duke of Cambridge leaving the Hammersmith Academy, London, following his visit to support the Diana Award's #Back2School anti-bullying campaign

The Duke of Cambridge leaving the Hammersmith Academy, London, following his visit to support the Diana Award's #Back2School anti-bullying campaign

'This is about bringing bullying into the open and creating a network of communication, which allows people to speak up and speak out.

'It's a real honour and privilege to have Prince William here recognising the issue and highlighting awareness of it.'

Alex Holmes, the head of the Diana Award's Anti-Bullying Campaign, said: 'The very fact that William is adding his weight to quite complex issues such as LGBT bullying and cyberbullying has already made a difference. 

'We've seen calls to the charity this morning because the duke is standing up to bullying people are coming forward.

The Prince joked with pupils during a game in which one boy in the middle was caught up in a ball of string

The Prince joked with pupils during a game in which one boy in the middle was caught up in a ball of string

'He was fantastic with the young people. He listened very carefully. A lot of them have come up to me and said they were excited. This is something he's passionate about, it really matters to him and a lot of friends who have gone through this.'

Unlike his father, who suffered bullying at Gordonstoun School, William, 33, is not known to have experienced similar problems – but his wife Kate‎ was the victim of alleged bullying at Downe House before she went to Marlborough College.

The couple chose the Beatbullying charity as one of the charities that received cash donations from the public in lieu of wedding presents when they married in April 2011.

The Prince also listened to Daniel Humphreys, 11, from Derbyshire‎, explain how he had been hit, called names, and ridiculed before training to be an anti-bullying ambassador, after which life became happier for him

The Prince also listened to Daniel Humphreys, 11, from Derbyshire‎, explain how he had been hit, called names, and ridiculed before training to be an anti-bullying ambassador, after which life became happier for him

The Prince is pictured here with his wife, Kate Middleton, their first child George, and his beloved spaniel Lupo, who was given as present to the couple by Kate's parents shortly after their wedding in April 2011

The Prince is pictured here with his wife, Kate Middleton, their first child George, and his beloved spaniel Lupo, who was given as present to the couple by Kate's parents shortly after their wedding in April 2011

The prince listened to Daniel Humphreys, 11, from Brimington, Derbyshire‎, explain how he had been hit, called names, and ridiculed before overcoming his difficulties after training to be a Diana Award anti-bullying ambassador. 'In Year 5 things improved when I became an ambassador. So that's why it means so much to me I don't want anyone to feel anything like I did,' he said.

 What's Periscope? I'm behind the times on technology

‎Sitting in a circle with the children, William joined in a game in which they were all asked to write on yellow paper one example of a sign of bullying and on green paper a piece of advice or support. The Duke wrote 'fear' on the yellow paper and 'communicate' on green.

William then moved onto a session on cyberbullying in which one boy in the middle was caught up in a ball of string passed between the participants to symbolise a web of internet lies. 'We'll let you out eventually,' William joked.

Then came the high five session, where William an‎d the other participants were asked to write on the five fingers of a paper hand the five people they would turn to for support if upset.

William told his hosts he had learned much from his visit, not least that he is out of date when it comes to technology. He had no idea what chief executive Tessy Ojo was talking about when she mentioned young people using the Twitter video app Periscope, which allows anyone to send film live over the internet.

'What's Periscope?' he asked. 'I'm behind the times on technology.' 

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