The Prince of Wales today sealed his reputation as a ‘royal hunk’ after dozens of female fans queued up to hug him.
William, accompanied by his happily easy-going wife, was harassed by well-wishers, but cheekily told them: ‘I draw the line at kissing!’
The couple were visiting Cardiff to mark Black History Month, where they met Caribbean elders.
It was a serious subject and the future king certainly didn’t expect to unleash his inner flirt until he was confronted by a row of very tactile ladies.
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 afterward.
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.’
