Billy Porter Reveals Prince William's 'Kindness Has No Bounds': ‘He Reminds Me of His Mama’
Actor Billy Porter recently opened up about how a little kindness impacted him deeply. The Tony-winning actor and singer has revealed that Prince William, known for his empathy, sent him a handwritten get-well card while he was hospitalised with a 'serious case' of sepsis in September. Porter, 56, had been forced to step away from his role as Emcee in Cabaret, halting a high-profile Broadway run as doctors focused on stabilising his condition. The message from Kensington Palace came months after the two had met in South Africa, where Porter co-hosted the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize ceremony.
Reflecting on that unexpected kindness while speaking to Hello! Porter said, “He heard that I was ill and he sent me a get-well card. That’s the kind of human being he is.” Porter went on to acknowledge the weight William carries behind the scenes. "He's very grounded, very kind, very present to everybody around him at all times. You know, it's a really hard job, and it's just effortless for him. I [felt] so humbled and blessed to host his Earthshot Prize… in Cape Town. His kindness and his presence have no bounds," he added. This is not the first time Porter has so publicly expressed his affection for William.
Last year, he had given William the ultimate compliment by comparing him with his mother. Porter had said, "He’s lovely. He’s present,” Porter, 55, told Us Weekly. “He reminds me of his mama when she was alive.” He had added, “His mother was a princess for the people. She cared about the planet. She cared about the people. That was one of the special things about Princess Diana. And that blood runs deep. It’s like she’s smiling down on heaven on him.”
Speaking about his initiative, Porter said, "I don’t even remember how it happened, but the Earthshot Prize — which is Prince William’s initiative for sustainability and global warming — they give out five prizes every year to remarkable human beings who are doing the most earth-shattering work to sustain our planet in many different areas.” He is not alone in that perception of the Prince of Wales.
Actor Hannah Waddingham earlier also had echoed similar admiration while talking about William’s environmental work through the Earthshot prize. She had called him a ‘glorious gentleman’ and praised his hands-on dedication to climate action, per PEOPLE! “Sir, I hope you realize that you are a cut above the rest,” she recalled telling him, impressed that he was not simply “a poster boy” for the initiative, but fully invested in driving change.
The exchange also took a more personal turn when Waddingham asked Prince William how he brings the Earthshot mission into daily life with his children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, whom he shares with Kate Middleton. Responding to the question, the Prince of Wales explained how regularly the subject comes up at home. “I talk to my children all the time about it,” he said. “It’s important that they see, touch, feel, and experience nature. It’s very hard for anyone to understand what’s the point of protecting it if you’ve never used it.”