Former beloved figure on the Great British Bake Off, Dame Mary Berry, recently shared her astonishment at Prince William’s unexpected appearance during her 90th birthday festivities. The renowned culinary icon, who is highly regarded in Britain’s food scene, was surrounded by celebrities and members of the royal family as they came together to honor her milestone birthday.
Having turned 90 in March, Dame Mary was featured on The One Show where she was taken aback by the surprise message from the future king. She candidly admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected gesture, stating, “I had to bite my lip, because you feel, ‘Oh my goodness gracious me!’ I was completely overwhelmed. I thought, ‘I must pull myself together.'”
Reflecting on her interactions with Prince Charles, Dame Mary disclosed that he and his wife, Catherine, are both quite competitive, especially when it comes to cooking. During her special segment on the BBC, Prince William expressed his well wishes, acknowledging her as a national treasure and expressing gratitude for their collaborative work over the years.
Dame Mary’s culinary journey began in her twenties when she ventured to France to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her television career took off in 1975 when she appeared on Afternoon Plus alongside Judith Chalmers. With a collection of bestselling cookery books and a memoir under her belt, she is most recognized for her role on the Great British Bake Off, where she co-hosted with Paul Hollywood until 2016.
In a recent turn of events, Dame Mary’s husband suffered a fall resulting in broken ribs, leading to a hospital visit. Married for nearly 60 years to 93-year-old Paul, Dame Mary remains optimistic about his recovery, stating, “He’s just had a tumble with broken ribs. I’m very sympathetic about that. But he’s getting better day by day. Soon we’ll have him back to his own old self.”