Prince William Reportedly Gets Booed While Speaking at the Royal Navy’s Controversial Submarine Service

Yikes! Instead of words of encouragement and praise, Prince William was greeted with hundreds of protestors who were reportedly booing the Duke of Cambridge as he attended an event in honor of the Royal Navy’s submarine service on Friday, May 3.

The 36-year-old royal supposedly didn’t receive the warmest welcome when he attended a service at Westminster Abbey, where he recognized and honored the 50 years of commitment of the Royal Navy’s efforts, despite the of continuous backlash and discouragements.

William — who has served as Commodore-in-Chief of the submarine service since 2006 — gave a reading from a Bible as dozens gathered inside the abbey church in London. “We pray that the Royal Navy may never be required to deploy these terrible forces in war and that they may continue to deter their use by others,” Dean of Westminster John Hall told the attendees, according to the Washington Post.

Ahead of the service, hundreds of protestors gathered outside Westminster Abbey and voiced their frustrations in hopes to denounce the service. The BBC reported that members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) chanted “shame on you” as William arrived alongside Penny Mordaunt, in her first official engagement as defense secretary.

Protestors — who were infuriated that at least one U.K. submarine has been carrying nuclear missiles on patrol since April 1969 — made the scene a little more hectic when they staged a “die-in” outside the famous church. Many of the activists laid on the ground acting as if they were dead to remember nuclear war victims.

Even actress Kate Hudson had something to say about the controversial and “morally repugnant” service. “This sends out a terrible message to the world about our country,” expressed Kate, who is a secretary-general of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, according to The Washington Post. “It says that here in Britain we celebrate weapons — in a place of worship — that can kill millions of people.” Awkward!