William Playfully Rejects Kate’s Sweet Gesture at Outing — and Her Reaction Was Priceless [Video]

Catherine rolled up her sleeves to work the espresso machine, only to realize that William's standards for a perfect cup of coffee are extremely high.

Princess Catherine might be royalty, but even she isn’t immune to the ‘tough crowd’ energy of a spouse. During her latest outing to London’s Borough Market, the Princess of Wales learned that a perfectly frothed cappuccino means nothing to Prince William — not if the caffeine content is off. The royal couple spent the afternoon navigating a sea of smartphone-wielding fans before stopping at Change Please — a social enterprise that trains people experiencing homelessness as baristas. Ever the good sport, Catherine rolled up her sleeves to work the espresso machine, only to realize that her husband’s standards for a midday pick-me-up were surprisingly high.

Under the watchful eye of staff member Lorent Maliqi, the Princess of Wales meticulously steamed milk and pulled shots, eventually producing a professional-grade cappuccino. “William, I made you a coffee,” she said, with a grin. The Prince, however, wasn’t quite ready to caffeinate — asking tentatively, “Is it decaf?” When Catherine confirmed otherwise, William immediately skipped the taste test, jokingly suggesting they should probably just sell it to someone else instead. The Princess burst into laughter — much to the surprise of those present at the scene. 

As it turns out, there’s actually a very tactical reason for the rejection. During a February panel on BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks, the Prince confessed that coffee has a chaotic effect on his composure. "If I drink coffee, I get completely bananas…If I overdo the caffeine, I definitely feel it during the day,” he told host Greg James. 

While the Prince of Wales played it safe, the barista professionals were far more impressed with the Princess’s hidden talents. “She did really well,” Maliqi said after the encounter, noting, “I was surprised, she got the texture of the milk right on point – it was a great effort.” Unshaken by the rejection, Catherine simply carried the coffee with her as they continued their tour, proving that if the future King won’t drink your art, you might as well keep it for yourself. The ‘caffeine-gate’ moment was just one highlight of a highly interactive day — one that began at the Trethowan Brothers stall. 

There, the Prince and Princess of Wales sampled award-winning Pitchfork Cheddar and Gorwydd Caerphilly, joking with owner Todd Trethowan, “That’s lunch taken care of.” The visit wasn’t all about the tasting — there was work to be done. William tried his hand at carving a wedge of Caerphilly, while Catherine reached for the traditional wire string — neatly slicing through the cheddar. Staring at a massive wheel of cheese, the Prince couldn’t hide his shock. He questioned, “Does anyone come in and ask for one of these?” Upon hearing that customers do indeed buy them, he was quite impressed. 

The 'no' went both ways during the couple’s South London takeover. After William snubbed Catherine’s barista skills, it was her turn to pass on the pint at the Bermondsey Beer Mile. While she handled the taps at Southwark Brewing Company with ease, she declined to sample the result, revealing to brewer Hannah Rhodes that her cancer diagnosis has made her much more conscious of her health.