The Prince of Wales surprised a Belfast well-wisher’s mother by joining a FaceTime call as he and the Princess of Wales greeted crowds during a visit to Northern Ireland.

William and Kate toured the Commons community centre on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast before coming out into the sunshine to meet the hundreds who had waited in the rain to meet them.

They shook hands, gave hugs and took selfies with people of all ages who hoped to have a word with the royals.

One of those gathered handed William her phone and asked him to speak to her mother.

“Angela, hello,” he said. “We’re missing you Angela, it’s not the same without you here.”

He complimented a pumpkin he could see in the background, joking it was “early for Halloween” as the crowd laughed.

Some children had gathered in their uniforms as Kate asked what schools they attended, and the women complimented her green tartan skirt.

There was a heavy security presence on the Ormeau Road, with part of the street closed and PSNI officers marking the perimeter.

The couple had visited the Commons, a regenerated church turned community centre, and engaged with a number of the projects there.

The venue hosted Ceili dances over the fleadh, as well as a community choir and free evening meals once a week to bring people together.

David and Jill Hines, directors at the Commons, said they had been building a new extension to the regenerated sanctuary part of the church which had been handed over just the evening before the royal visit.

Ms Hines described Will and Kate as “absolutely so lovely from the very beginning, and really intentional and wanting to hear about it”.

“Not rushing at all, just very, very kind and down to earth,” she said.

Mr Hines said the royal couple are “really good listeners and really ask wonderful questions”.

“Prince William was talking a bit about homelessness and all that sort of stuff, and he was really forceful and really passionate, and you had a sense he had a real passion but really humble, really wanting to use their influence for good, I think.

“And that’s the thing that wins my respect is people are willing to put their social capital, whatever it is, aside or spend it on the common good.”

He added: “So I think that whole kind of servant-hearted leadership, I find quite impressive personally and it was a privilege to meet them. I mean, my goodness, like a bucket list thing.”

Ms Hines added: “You realise what good work they do as well. You realise actually the works that they do are really important and really special.”