Dame Mary Berry has lifted the lid on her special relationship with Prince William and Princess Kate in a candid interview. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dame Mary, 90, touched on keeping fit, The Great British Bake Off and her admiration for the Prince of Wales. "I mean he's really such a wonderful man, you know. We're so lucky with our royalty, aren't we? He slept on the streets, you know," she said. "He wants to find out about how everybody is in the country. He lives for all of us. I admire him. He sets an example."
However, the Dame particularly admires the Prince and Princess of Wales's loving relationship, saying: "There's always a little arm around the back, encouraging her. Early on when she started doing public life, he would chip in and say something really nice and encouraging, you know? He's obviously immensely proud of her. They give us – well, they give their life to all of us."
Mary Berry has forged a close relationship with Prince William and Princess Kate for over ten years. Both Prince William and Mary Berry are patrons of Child Bereavement UK, and they first met during a visit to the charity's headquarters in Buckinghamshire around 2013. They reunited again in 2019 for Mary's television special, A Very Berry Christmas on BBC One in 2019, where they went head-to-head as they made a festive roulade.
Dame Mary diplomatically refused to choose a winner and declared that their creations were equally delicious. "Prince William lost his mother at a very vulnerable age," she says in the documentary, "And we lost our son, aged 19, in a car accident. So, we both know what it is to be without someone very special. Christmas for us always holds mixed emotions and I try to think of other who might not be having the best time."
© ShutterstockAnd, earlier this year, to mark her monumental 90th birthday, the Prince sent a very special birthday message that seemed to bring the chef to tears. In his message, the Prince tells Dame Mary: "I want to wish you a very happy 90th birthday. You are a true national treasure, and we've loved working with you over the years." He adds: "Have a fantastic day today. I dread to think who's cooking your cake and the criticism they might get but good luck and I hope it goes really well."
