In March, Hamlin Robinson School students, faculty, and staff welcomed a special visitor: His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Carl Philip of Sweden. 

Dyslexia awareness and education are important to the royal family of Sweden: the Prince, his sister, Crown Princess Victoria, and father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, all have dyslexia. In 2015, the Prince and his wife, Princess Sofia, established a foundation, a key focus of which is supporting dyslexia education.  

During his visit to HRS, Prince Carl Philip observed Lower and Middle School classes and met with faculty and staff to learn about the school’s instructional approach. It was obvious that he truly enjoyed interacting with students, hearing about their experiences with dyslexia and HRS, and engaging students in conversation.  

Students had all kinds of questions for the Prince, from the silly (What’s your favorite candy?) to the serious (How does dyslexia make it harder for you to be a leader?)  

“It was exciting because nobody else in my family has met a prince. I was the first!” reflected one Level 1 student. A fellow classmate agreed: “I think we were all the first! Not many people get to meet princes.” 

The HRS community appreciated the opportunity to connect with Prince Carl Philip, the visiting staff of his foundation, and other members of his delegation during his visit to Seattle. Our tagline, where learning has no limits, came to life in a new way—with our methods catching attention across continents and bringing royal visitors to our classroom doors. We hope to find ways to collaborate with the Prince Couple’s Foundation to support dyslexia education locally and worldwide.