Prince William jokes: ‘Who’s pinching my bum?’ as he poses for a group photo and insists ‘I draw the line at kissing’ as dozens of female fans line up to hug him
Prince William hugged him as he walked around a room of Windrush veterans as he celebrated the Caribbean who helped rebuild post-war Britain – but drew the line at kissing.
The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his happily easy-going wife, was mobbed by well-wishers at the Grange Pavilion community center in Cardiff, but cheekily told them: ‘I draw the line at kissing!’
Later, as guests posed for a group photo, William laughed with Kate as they moved to a back row and led the Windrush veterans to the front, but the room erupted when the prince joked: “Who’s pinching my bum?”
The couple were visiting the Welsh capital to mark Black History Month, where they met Caribbean elders.
It was a serious subject and the future king certainly didn’t expect to give free rein to his inner flirt until he was confronted by a row of very tactile ladies.
Prince William also caused some laughs when he said: ‘Who’s pinching my bum?’ when he posed for a group photo
As he chatted to Roma Taylor, 79, the founder of Windrush Cymru Elders, she became the first of a long line of women to demand a hug from the prince, 41. ‘It was a long one!’ she laughed afterwards.
Ms Taylor, a former member of Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, proved to have form when it comes to physical displays of affection towards the royal family.
She said that when King Charles visited the Senedd last year, she held his hand for so long that a member of his security team eventually had to tell her to let him go.
Karen Lucock, 65, said of her encounter with William: ‘I said, ‘Can I please have a hug?’ He said, ‘Yes, you can.’ I was surprised because he hugged me for a long time. I’m a bit in shock!’
At that moment the prince joked to the room: ‘Don’t kiss! I draw the line at kissing!’
That didn’t stop Yvonne Howard-Bunt, who turned to the prince and asked: “Can I have one of what she just had?” Yes, it turns out she could.
There was so much laughter that when William posed for a group photo, he caused a fit of laughter when he said: ‘Who’s pinching my bum?’
After the photo, the couple went to talk to youth groups in another room, where William told them: ‘I’m very sorry, there’s a lot of talking next door. Cuddling too.’
The future king was met with lines of female fans waiting for their turn to hug the father of three
During the visit, William and Princess Kate also met schoolchildren who lined the streets to greet the royals
The Prince of Wales (pictured) met dozens of royal fans who queued to hug him during a visit to Cardiff to mark Black History Month
While Kate was chic in a trouser suit, the Prince of Wales was smart in a dark jacket, navy trousers and brown suede boots
If the prince was surprised by the reaction, Daily Mail readers won’t be, after columnist Amanda Platell last month welcomed a return to William’s ‘royal hunk’ status after he waded into a river in New York.
William and Catherine were at Grange Pavilion community center in Cardiff to meet members of Windrush Cymru Elders and other groups to hear about the contribution the generation has made to the community.
The prince met Dorothy Anderson, 83, who worked as a nursing assistant in the NHS for 30 years.
Chantal Patel, 67, who was sitting next to her, said: ‘He was shocked that she was almost 84. He wanted to know her secret.”
Princess Kate gave her husband a loving look as they chatted with people outside the Grange Pavilion
The Prince and Princess of Wales met with elders from the Windrush community as well as members of the Youth Council for Young People of Color in Wales
Ms Anderson said: ‘I said, ‘It’s hard work and focus on what you want to do in life.’ He said, ‘Well done, such is life, Dorothy.’ ‘
The couple also played table tennis with two teenage Somali girls, where after a winning shot from the princess, William said: ‘You have to see her serve – she has a piece on the serve.’
Eleeza Khan, 17, said: ‘It was really relaxed and engaging. They got into it, we got into it.”
Amira Begum, 18, said: ‘They were quite good, surprisingly good.’
The visit ended with another hug, initiated by William himself.
As he prepared to say goodbye to his host, Professor Uzo Iwobi, founder and CEO of Race Council Cymru, he said: “I think you need a big hug – you were amazing.”
Afterwards, Iwobi, 54, said the visit was the result of a promise William made when he invested her with a CBE at Windsor Castle earlier this year to help race relations.
She said: ‘When I received my CBE I said to Prince William, if you think anything of what you put on my chest, come and greet the elders in Wales, shake hands with these elders who have sacrificed for 75 years to make Britain what it is. They’ve never met a royal family before.’
He told her to write to his office, but she insisted, “Promise me.”
She continued, “He said, ‘I’ll make this happen. I’ll take Catherine with me.’ Today he saw me and said, “I promised you, and I keep my word.” It was so heartbreakingly beautiful for our elders to hold the future king’s hand.”
When the couple left, local children gave them leeks and posies.