Family Takes A Weekend Trip To IKEA. They're Royally Shocked By Who They Find Behind The Register

Trips to IKEA can be exciting in their own right thanks to the store's infamous mod furnishings and Swedish meatballs — but this experience takes the (almond) cake. On October 9, at IKEA in Belfast, Northern Ireland, shoppers got quite the strange and unexpected surprise when it came time to make their purchases. Their cashiers were none other than William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

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If it wasn't for their uniquely formal attire, many IKEA shoppers might not have even realized who was behind the register. The store is taking advantage of an initiative launched by William's Homewards organization. Homewards aims to end homelessness, and one step toward that goal is a program that helps folks in need get jobs. 

To promote the program, William and Kate stepped into one of those roles: working the registers at IKEA. The Waleses chatted it up with folks buying food at IKEA's cafe. Lorraine Magill, who was there buying chocolate with her granddaughter, was reasonably surprised by her brief chat with her cashier, who just so happened to be the princess herself. As Magill told the Telegraph, "I didn't expect it whatsoever, but it was lovely, and she was really nice."

Royal experts believe Prince William is happy when Kate Middleton takes the spotlight, and it seems she was doing exactly that during their IKEA trip. Margaret Broom, who visited IKEA at the perfect time to have Kate ring her up, told The Times how outgoing she was, saying that Kate "was funny — she was asking about the family card, and that seemed to make her laugh. It's a great pleasure, an honor." Broom added how happy she was to have the Waleses in town, noting, "The more they come, the better it is for Northern Ireland, and they always support such good causes." As for William, IKEA food manager Seamus McBrearty told the Telegraph, "It was good fun, I think he enjoyed it."

Regardless of whether or not William could see himself working retail long-term, he was certainly happy to be there working for a cause that's been important to him for so long. His mother, Princess Diana, famously learned to take advantage of her celebrity status for good. Her influence during William's childhood shaped his goals as a working royal. Now, fighting against homelessness is one of his top priorities. 

A spokesperson for the couple said this trip was meant to "highlight how an innovative employment pilot, first launched in Northern Ireland by Homewards, has supported young people into work and helped them build confidence and sustain their new roles."