When the ‘Queen of the Palace’ met the future king: Fallon Sherrock has the royal seal of approval as she tries to make more World Cup history

Considering all the arrows thrown at the royal family by Omid Scobie and Co lately, perhaps it was brave of them to invite Fallon Sherrock.

Luckily there was no prickliness on this occasion as the ‘Queen of the Palace’ left her Dynasty 24g steel tips at home when she met the future king at Windsor Castle last month.

Prince William awarded 29-year-old Sherrock an MBE and three weeks after receiving that honor, the former hairdresser from Milton Keynes begins this conversation with a confession: she was more nervous meeting His Royal Highness than when she took the stage at Alexandra Palace .

“I didn’t know who I was going to meet at that moment,” she tells Mail Sport as we sit in Oche The Strand in London, dressed in her signature pink, ahead of the start of the World Darts Championship on Friday.

‘When I knew it was Prince William it was, ‘Oh my God.’ I really wanted to meet William. I panicked. I think, “Don’t fall over,” because I’m wearing heels and I’m not used to them and my feet hurt. When he started talking, I lost my words. I was like, ‘Yes. Yes. Yes”.

‘I think: ‘Focus. Don’t embarrass yourself.” He told me he had seen the broadcast. I was like, “Have you seen darts on TV?” He started laughing at me, “Yes, I saw it on TV,” all in his posh voice. He said he likes the concept, how you can go to the pub and play with your friends.”

Sherrock knew Prince Harry had visited Ally Pally to play darts, but was surprised by Prince William’s knowledge. “He really knew a lot,” she says. “He asked how I got into it, about my family, when my next games were, and he said he’d see if he could watch it and keep an eye on me.”

That MBE was the least Sherrock deserved, as the woman who proved darts is not just a man’s world. Four years ago she became the first female player to win the World Championship, beating Ted Evetts and then Mensur Suljovic. Her latest campaign begins on Sunday against higher-ranked Jermaine Wattimena of the Netherlands.

As if the pressure of the heir apparent following her every ‘pop, pop, pop’ wasn’t enough, she realizes she’s representing her gender at Ally Pally.

“Yesterday a young girl came up to me,” Sherrock says. ‘She had never thrown darts before but came to meet me and said I had inspired her and asked how she could get into it.

‘There are so many young girls who have started doing it now because they have seen how your life can change. It’s a whole new scene. You don’t see the same faces on TV. It inspires people to think, “Wait a minute, times are changing, I can do anything.” Nothing is impossible.’

Those wins over Evetts and Suljovic put Sherrock in the spotlight. Suddenly there were appearances on BBC Breakfast and ITV’s This Morning, photo shoots for The Gentlewoman magazine, posts from Billie Jean King and Sarah Jessica Parker. But also abuse by trolls on social media.

“People say what they want online, so I won’t go into that now,” she says. ‘I ignore that. I know that will happen. No one will ever say it to your face. I will kill them with kindness.”

Sherrock is the girl next door who is exceptionally good at hitting a small target from 7 feet. She could brag about her two nine-darters this year, but is just as proud that she has become a qualified hairdresser. “I cut Cammy’s hair while he’s on the PlayStation,” she says, with Cammy being her other half, Cameron Menzies, another professional darts player who faces Austria’s Rusty-Jake Rodriguez this Friday.

Sherrock has a mischievous side. She’s harassed bar patrons and told them to “Google me” after beating them. Sometimes Sherrock’s fame can get in the way of the weekly shop. “I don’t wear makeup,” she explains. ‘I put my hair up. I pretend I’m not myself. I’m in disguise.’

World Championship victories at Ally Pally thrust the former hairdresser into the spotlight

Sharrock’s campaign begins on Sunday against higher-ranked Jermaine Wattimena

Even then it is not waterproof. ‘When I came here I bought my ticket at the train station and there was a woman standing in a huge queue trying to have a conversation. She didn’t care! But it was wonderful.’

This Christmas, Sherrock will do well to be discovered, especially if she can achieve her dream of world championship glory.

‘You know what? “I like playing against the top players because you know you won’t get multiple darts in a doubles match,” she says. ‘They’ll push you. And I like to be pushed. In every match you have to believe that you can win. Even when you’re playing against the best in the world, you need confidence.’

Now that Prince William is backing her, she has a real royal upset in her sights.