Eleven-year-old Ted Haslam, an Aston Villa fan from Sutton Coldfield, met Princess Kate twice while completing the Three Peaks Challenge in a wheelchair last weekend. The unexpected encounters occurred during his 30-hour charity climb for Molly Olly's Wishes.
Meeting on Ben Nevis
On Saturday at 2:30 PM, Ted, his father Pete, and a team of 17 men began their ascent of Ben Nevis. On the way down, they met Princess Kate, who stopped to chat for five minutes. Pete told her that Ted had met Prince William several times at Villa Park and asked her to relay the message.
Second Encounter on Scafell Pike
Later that night, after leaving Ben Nevis at 10 PM and arriving at Scafell Pike at 4 AM, the group encountered Princess Kate again. She spoke with Ted, asking if he was cold and noting that some team members wore t-shirts despite wet, cold, and windy conditions. She also passed them near the summit on her way down.
Challenge Details
The team aimed to complete the Three Peaks Challenge in 30 hours instead of the usual 24 due to the difficulty of including a wheelchair user. Princess Kate finished her challenge in 24 hours, while Ted's team completed it in under 30 hours. They did not see her on Snowdon as she took a less known path.
Background and Support
Ted was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma in 2018 at age three, which caused a spinal cord compression injury, leaving him paralyzed from the belly button down. Molly Olly's Wishes, a Warwick-based charity supporting children with life-threatening illnesses, provided him with soft-play equipment. Since then, his family has organized numerous fundraisers, including cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats and climbing Ben Nevis last year.
Before the challenge, Ted received a good luck video message from Aston Villa player Emi Buendia, who praised his courage and bravery. Donations can be made via Ted's JustGiving page.
