Welcome to Wrexham! William pours a pint with Hollywood star Rob McElhenney during visit to Wales – as Kate recovers at home and prince returns to royal duties after missing memorial service for ‘personal reasons’

The Prince of Wales poured a pint with Hollywood star Rob McElhenney at a pub in Wrexham today while his wife Kate continues to recover from surgery at home.

Prince William travelled to The Turf pub next to Wrexham AFC – the world’s oldest pub at a sports stadium, which featured in the Disney+ ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ series.

He met staff, charity workers and locals to learn about the venue – before visiting the pitch at the team’s Racecouse Stadium to hear accounts of the club’s rise since the 2021 takeover by McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds , and meet staff and players.

As he poured the pint, William said: ‘Still got a horrible head on it, but there you go. This is why I don’t work behind the bar.’ He also told McElhenney that he ‘loves’ cider.

Reynolds was in New York today and could not be present while he films the next Deadpool film, but MailOnline understands he hopes to meet William later this year.

William then went on to spend time with pupils at All Saints’ Primary School to see their traditional ways of marking the day, which celebrates the patron saint of Wales.

The children took part in traditional Welsh folk dancing called Dawnsio Gwerin and baked Bara Brith, a Welsh tea bread flavoured with dried fruits and spices.

The Prince will also meet Year 6 pupils learning about the Gresford Mining Disaster, which saw 266 men killed in an explosion and underground fire in September 1934.

Later, he will visit the memorial to what was one of Britain’s worst coal mining disasters and meet relatives of those who were killed – as well as people involved in setting up the memorial and preserving its history.

The disaster happened in the early hours of the morning when the number of workers on site was much larger than usual because many had doubled their shifts so they could watch a Wrexham football match later that day.

William will also meet members from the Wrexham Miners Rescue Station which opened in 1913 to train rescuers in techniques on how to save miners.

In 1934, many of those who trained at the station helped in the mission to save workers trapped in the Gresford disaster, with three of them losing their lives.

It comes after William yesterday visited a London synagogue to meet young people representing Jewish students and others helping to combat antisemitism among the next generation to ‘reassure you all that people do care’.

During his visit, the Prince condemned the rise in hatred directed against the country’s Jewish community, saying ‘antisemitism has no place in society’.

He also spent a time with Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, 94, and held her hand after she recounted her fears about the rise in hatred and told her: ‘It must be horrible for all of you worrying about this and I’m sorry it’s got to this…it will get better.’

The Princess of Wales was due to join William for the synagogue visit which had been planned to mark Holocaust Memorial Day but she is recovering from an abdominal operation.

Mrs Salt remembered Kate when she spoke with William, saying: ‘I’m sure if your wife would have been well she would have been here I miss her so much, give her my best wishes.’

William’s visit came a week after he called for an end to the fighting in Gaza, which he said had seen ‘too many killed’.

Kate is away from official royal engagements until after Easter following major surgery in January.

On Tuesday, William pulled out of attending a memorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece at Windsor Castle due to an unspecified ‘personal matter’.

Kensington Palace would not elaborate further but said Kate still continues to be doing well – guidance that they again reiterated yesterday.

A royal spokesman added yesterday: ‘Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands.’ 

William, who was due to deliver a reading at Tuesday’s service in St George’s Chapel, called the Greek royal family to let them know he was unable to attend.

Constantine II of Greece, who died in January last year, was William’s godfather.