Britain’s Prince William and Rob McElhenney pulled pints together on Friday in the pub next to the home of the Welsh soccer team the U.S. actor co-owns.

William, the Prince of Wales, was visiting Wrexham to mark St David’s Day, the celebration of the Welsh patron saint, and went to hear about the impact the club, owned by McElhenney and “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, had had on the local community.

“I love cider,” the prince remarked as both he and McElhenney poured drinks – badly – in The Turf pub next to Wrexham’s Racecourse ground, where the prince was later handed a team shirt with his name on the back.

McElhenney, star of the sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, and Reynolds bought Wrexham in November 2020, bringing glamour, on-field success and global off-field attention for the town in north Wales via a TV documentary charting the team’s journey in which The Turf pub often features

During his Welsh trip, William also visited a local school, and the memorial for the Gresford mining disaster, with 2024 marking the 90th anniversary of the incident in which 266 men were killed after an explosion in the colliery near Wrexham.

[1/5]Chairman of Wrexham AFC Rob McElhenney and Britain’s William, Prince of Wales share a drink at The Turf Pub, near Wrexham AFC as he marks St. David’s Day, in Wrexham, Wales, Britain March 1, 2024. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

The heir to the throne has had a week in the headlines after he withdrew from a memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, on Tuesday because of a “personal matter”.

He returned to public duties on Thursday, visiting a London synagogue where he said he was extremely concerned about soaring antisemitism in Britain.

With his wife Kate also absent since Christmas Day after she underwent abdominal surgery in January, royal commentators said there had been public unease with rampant speculation and rumour on social media.

However, the British royals rarely release details of any medical conditions, regarding them as purely private matters, and Kate and William’s office reiterated its earlier statement that she was not expected to return to public engagements until after Easter.

“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates. That guid