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Speaking Welsh and eating cake: Inside Kate's garden party debut


On 30 May 2012
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Although she charmed every guest she met during her garden party debut, the Duchess of Cambridge really hit it off with one lucky invitee.Kate spent several minutes chatting to Bethan Haynes after discovering that she too lives in Anglesey and has a husband serving in the military. "She really perked up and said how much she loves living there," Mrs Haynes said of her conversation with the Duchess.

"We were chatting about what Welsh she has learnt, and she said the two words that always stick out at her are 'araf', which means slow, and 'heddlu', which means police. We had a laugh about that. "It was clear she loves being in Wales very much and is enjoying the chance to have a normal married life. "Also enjoying time with the enchanting royal were newlyweds Rebecca and Gareth Jones, a flying officer in the RAF."She congratulated us and asked me how long I’d been in the air force," Flying Officer Jones said. "She seems to share a lot of empathy and genuine interest in people."

While Kate charmed the crowds, she confessed to some anxiety as she arrived alongside her parents-in-law Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.Asked how she was finding her first garden party, she replied: "It's very nerve-wracking facing such a sea of people, but great fun. "Everyone looks so pretty dressed up. "And when told that the average guest manages to eat 14 sandwiches and cakes, she joked: "Gosh, no, really? Well I had better see what I can do about that!"

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