Prince William Makes a Cheeky Request During Recent Outing With Kate — But Gets Turned Down
On September 8, Prince William and Kate Middleton visited the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (WI) in Sunningdale to honor Queen Elizabeth’s third death anniversary. The late Queen was a member of the WI for 80 years and served as president from 2003 until her death in 2022. During the engagement, William interacted with the members and enjoyed their company so much that he slipped in a cheeky request. The Prince of Wales asked the women if male members, referring to himself, could join the WI, receiving a resounding 'no' in response.
The Prince and Princess of Wales spoke to members to understand the work of the WI and how it provides opportunities for women to socialize, learn new skills, and engage in community projects. During the conversation, William jokingly asked, "Can you have honorary male members of the WI?" When the women answered, "No" in chorus, he responded with a grin, "Point taken."
The outing to Sunningdale came around the same time Prince Harry landed in London to attend the WellChild Awards. William had originally decided to attend the event solo, but was joined by Middleton at the last minute. According to Kensington Palace sources, the Princess was keen to join William to commemorate the life of the late Queen.
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While mingling with the women for tea and cake, a member, Nina Derrick, asked William, "Is Louis a bit of a handful?" to which the Prince replied, "He's a character, but he's a very good boy. He likes to wind his brother and sister up." He also shared a rare insight about his eldest, Prince George, saying, "When George is behind closed doors, it's completely different. George just knows how to behave." The Prince made another cheeky response when asked if their kids were back to school at Lambrook. They responded, "Thankfully, yes!"
During the conversation, Middleton, meanwhile, shared how her husband likes his brownies. She said, "William is very fussy about it," to which the future King replied, "Never put nuts in a brownie." Middleton then quipped, "I had to learn the hard way," drawing laughter from the group. The Prince also joked that he would put on a skirt to join the WI, provided he got free brownies. The pair also listened as members shared stories of the late Queen’s time with the WI, how she would join in over tea and cake, and entertain a lively discussion.
Yvonne Browne, Vice President of the West Newton WI, recalled, "We put on the Sandringham WI version of Cinderella. She [the late Queen] seemed to enjoy it. She was very relaxed and chatted. We had a lovely afternoon." The year before, in 2016, the women marked the Queen’s 90th birthday by raising a toast with champagne and sharing a slice of fruit cake during her visit.