Photo: Will and Kate visit Inner-City Arts.
Prince William and Kate Middleton may have fit right in at the polo match in Santa Barbara and those fancy dinners and red carpet events, but their trip to Cali wasn't all so posh. The royal couple also spent time visiting L.A.'s Skid Row, where they painted and watched dance performances.
As art history majors in college (Will later changed to geography), promoting the arts is important to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They painted, pressed their palms into clay and watched a dance performance at Inner-City Arts, a nonprofit offering free art and dance classes to kids. Kate even said the dance performance moved her to tears.
"With support from organizations like Inner-City Arts, I've been given a chance--a chance to succeed and to do something meaningful with my life," said 19-year-old Kenneth Chancey. "With every paint bucket, every pound of clay, every rubber band, Inner-City Arts changes kids’ lives in a positive way."
There were many laughs as well. Will named his clay turtle Harry and asked the kids if they'd ever seen “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” claiming that the cartoon was much cooler than it sounds. Showing your age there, Wills?
The students at Inner-City Arts were stoked to spend time with the royal couple as well. Even in a town where celeb sightings are the norm, hanging out with royalty is a special treat.
Though we may not have royals of our own, the Obamas like to do their part to promote the arts. The White House Music Series, which was initiated in 2009, is part of Michelle Obama's initiative to promote music and arts education. And high school students who earn the prestigious Presidential Scholars in the Arts award are recognized at a White House ceremony.
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