Volleyball player Maxime Carolan meets Prince and Princess of Wales at SportsAid event | Instagram post featuring the teenager with William and Kate attracts 80,000 likes

Meopham volleyball player Maxime Carolan found himself in the company of royals.

The England youth international met the Prince and Princess of Wales - William and Kate - at a mental health and wellbeing workshop hosted by SportsAid.

Kate is approaching 10 years as patron of the charity and attended the event at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre along with her husband and heir to the throne.

Carolan features prominently in a picture posted on the couple’s Instagram account, which has been liked more than 80,000 times.

The 15-year-old, a pupil at Gravesend Grammar School, was also able to speak to the royals.

“It was quite something for Maxime to be involved in,” said mum Sophie, who also attended the workshop.

“As the organisers were presenting the agenda, suddenly they said we’d like you to know the Prince and Princess of Wales will be joining us today.

“Maxime was chatting to Kate about her sport, which is netball, and whether she still played.

“She told Max, yes, she was still playing at home a little bit with Charlotte, her daughter.

“He spoke, briefly, to William as well because they were in the same group doing netball.

“They were a really nice couple and they looked genuinely happy to be there with the young athletes.

“Maxime said it felt like they were part of them.”

The topic of mental health is an important one to Carolan.

He held his latest fundraiser for the Sport in Mind charity with a yoga retreat at Cobham Hall on Sunday.

Last year, he held a charity ball at the same venue.