During a royal engagement in 2016, Jonathan Douglas-Hughes took a spill, falling backwards after tripping over a bollard, and without missing a beat, Prince William turned and helped the dignitary to his feet, asking him, “Are you okay?”
The moment was caught on camera and at the time, Douglas-Hughes, the then vice lord-lieutenant of Essex, said he hurt nothing but his pride, as reported by The Guardian.
A royal watcher unearthed the footage and shared it online, where the clip was viewed more than 12.8 million times in a matter of days.
Many flocked to comment on the moment, with one social media user writing: “Prince William is a genuine and kind person. Helping others is second nature to him. The UK is lucky to have him as their future King.”
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Douglas-Hughes later told a reporter: “I backed into one of these bollards, I literally went over backwards!
“But, luckily, my hat didn’t come off, so my head was cushioned on the ground.”
Douglas-Hughes was dressed in uniform, with the official noting his sword “made a bit of clatter” and acted like a sort of alarm, getting everyone’s attention after he had fallen to the ground.
