Prince William displays his humorous side while attending a royal engagement with his wife, Kate Middleton. The Prince and Princess of Wales stepped out on Thursday, May 22, to honor the traditional christening ceremony of a royal warship in Scotstoun. Kate, who donned a navy blue coat dress with white details, a matching hat, and white pumps, had an honorary role at the event, tasked with naming the iconic HMS Glasgow docked at the BAE Systems shipyard in Scotland. The 43-year-old officiated the naming lunch by smashing a bottle of Clydside Distillery whisky over the hull of the ship, a ritual thought to bring good luck to the vessel and its crew members.
After a successful ceremony, Prince William and his wife took their leave, stopping only to interact with a mesmerized fan. A clip shared on X shows the couple walking past a line of well-wishers on their way out, cheerfully acknowledging them. One well-wisher blurted out a compliment to Kate Middleton just as she passed by, telling her, “You’re beautiful.” Turning to William, who was right by his wife, the fan added awkwardly, “You too, William,” with the words sounding like an afterthought to make the prince feel included.
Prince William’s Witty Response to Fan’s Compliment
The Prince of Wales caught on quickly, offering a humorous response to the surprise compliment with self-deprecating humor. He said,
“You don’t have to say that, don’t worry.”
The Prince’s remark sent the crowd erupting with laughter. After the brief interaction, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton bid their farewells.
Prior to snapping up the honorary opportunity to name the royal warship, Kate already had a special connection to the HMS Glasgow. Back in 2021, the Princess of Wales was named the sponsor of the warship. She has since shown significant interest in the 8,000-tonne vessel, periodically seeking to hear about the ship’s escapades, most notably meeting with Royal Navy sailors from HMS Glasgow at Windsor in 2022 to discuss the ship’s progress and their experiences. She also went aboard the vessel on Thursday, along with her husband, and the couple got to learn more about the HMS Glasgow’s features from officials of the Royal Navy and BAE Systems representatives, making for a fruitful visit.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s latest royal visit to Scotland follows a string of engagements the couple have undertaken together this year, following a devastating 2024. The previous year saw the mom-of-three scale back on her public duties as she battled an undisclosed form of cancer. Since announcing her remission, the Princess has returned to her royal roles in full force, taking on more responsibilities as a key part of the British royal family.