North Vancouver teen meets Will and Kate

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A North Vancouver, B.C. teenager who got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rub elbows with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has shared his story with CTV News.

Taylor Quinn, 18, was selected among 100 young Canadians handpicked for their community service and philanthropy to meet newlyweds William and Kate in Ottawa last week. Quinn's work focuses on educating African youth about HIV and AIDS. The Argyle Secondary School graduate says he was stirred to action by an influential conference he attended two years ago.

"I was just your average, average, average, average western society kid," Quinn said. "But that night my… bubble that I was in burst, and I discovered my passion." And that passion, he learned, is one he shares with Prince William.

"One of the funniest moments of the night for me was when William was saying he'd taken these HIV and AIDS courses," Quinn said. "Kate turned to him and said, ‘You did that? I didn't know you were interested in that!'" "It was just so cute to see… the fact that they are newlyweds, and they don't know each other's lives completely."

Days after the meeting, Quinn, who leaves for Africa later this month, is still struggling to describe his dazzling encounter.

"That doesn't happen to normal people like me," he said. "You see these people on TV, they're up on a pedestal – and to have them talking to me, asking questions about what I do." "I don't even know how to describe that feeling. There's honestly no words that can describe it."