Entertainment

Dame Mary Berry on baking with the Duchess of Cambridge

The celebrity chef recalled decorating cakes with the royal as part of her 2019 festive special A Berry Royal Christmas.
The celebrity chef recalled decorating cakes with the royal as part of her 2019 festive special A Berry Royal Christmas. The celebrity chef recalled decorating cakes with the royal as part of her 2019 festive special A Berry Royal Christmas.

Dame Mary Berry has said the Duchess of Cambridge’s cupcake piping work was so “beautiful” it rivalled her own.

Speaking on This Morning, the 86-year-old baking queen said Kate is confident in the kitchen and she praised her for her willingness to “have a go at anything”.

This Morning host Holly Willoughby asked Dame Mary on Wednesday morning: “You’ve cooked for some remarkable people, one of your favourite people you’ve ever cooked with is the Duchess of Cambridge, and you say that actually within the kitchen she’s very confident?”

A Berry Royal Christmas
A Berry Royal Christmas Kate joined the TV chef for a spot of baking at RHS Garden Wisley in 2019 (BBC/Shine TV/Kensington Palace/PA)

Dame Mary confirmed: “She’s confident and she’s giggly and (says) ‘I don’t think I can’, but she does.”

The former Great British Bake Off judge recalled a time she was baking with Kate at the RHS Garden Wisley, a garden run by the Royal Horticultural Society in Surrey.

The event was part of the celebrity chef’s 2019 festive special, A Berry Royal Christmas, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined the TV star on a number of royal visits and got to show off their culinary skills under Dame Mary’s watchful eye.

Investitures at Windsor Castle
Investitures at Windsor Castle The celebrity chef was recently made a dame (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Dame Mary said: “I remember we were down at the RHS at Wisley and she was bringing her garden from Chelsea, the children’s garden and play centre.

“She was piping cupcakes and they were just… if not better than mine, they were beautiful and she was laughing away and enjoying it.

“I think she’s a great person, she’ll have a go at anything.”

The doyen of British baking was recently made a dame for her culinary career which spans more than 50 years.

Dame Mary was awarded the honour, which also recognises her charity work, by the Prince of Wales during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in October.