The Duchess of Cambridge was left in stitches after being asked if she was Prince William's "assistant".
And quick witted Kate Middleton's response may just make her the most down-to-earth member of the royal family.
Proving her sense of humour, the future Queen was asked about her role in Prince William's life during an official visit to the Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff.
The royal couple certainly got more than then bargained for as they were introduced to 87-year-old resident Joan Drew-Smith in August last year, reports The Mirror.
Unfazed, Joan pointed at Kate and asked the Prince "Is that your assistant?"
But Kate handled the situation with a deft touch, laughing and saying to William: "Well, I am your assistant".
She added: "I have been for a long time!"
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were left in stitches during the face-to-face meeting with the care home residents, who they had entertained as virtual bingo callers during lockdown.
The visit to the Cardiff care home came in May 2020, three months after the royal pair spoke to staff and residents via video link and called out the numbers for their weekly game.
Introduced to Joan - who had previously made headlines that month when she said the royal bingo game “wasn’t as good as it should have been” - the Duke said: “Hello Joan, do you remember we did the bingo with you? You said we weren’t very good!”
“Yes,” she replied. “You did a bloody sh***y job.”
The royal couple, briefly taken aback by her blunt assessment, roared with laughter.
But they got a kinder response from fellow resident Margaret Stocks, 95, winner of the virtual game.
“I did enjoy it,” she told them. “I hadn’t played it before.”
“Neither had we!” replied the Duchess. “That’s why we were so bad!”
"We enjoyed it just as much as you did, William said. “It was a new experience for us.”
William and Kate both sported masks during the visit to the care home’s garden, making it tricky to make themselves heard at times.
William, wearing a blue fabric face covering, told Joan: “We have to wear masks because of the virus, but it’s difficult to hear sometimes when you can’t see someone’s mouth.”
“Is that your assistant?” Joan asked him, pointing at Kate.
“Well I am your assistant,” laughed Kate, putting a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “I have been for a long time!”
The meeting took place in a marquee set up for afternoon team just as the heavens opened.
“We timed it right!” said the Duke, who later told staff: "I love Joan, she's brilliant. If only everyone was as honest as her."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
