Kate Middleton Was Asked If She Was Prince William's Assistant

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meet residents at the Shire Hall Care Home, where they spoke to some of the home's staff, residents and their family members on August 5, 2020 in Cardiff, Wales. In May, The Duke and Duchess joined staff and residents from Shire Hall via video call, and took their turn as guest bingo callers for a game in the home's cinema

(Image credit: Getty/WPA Pool/Pool)

published 21 February 2022

In May 2020, Kate Middleton and Prince William called out the numbers in a game of virtual bingo for the residents of the Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff, Wales.

At the time, resident straight-talker Joan Drew-Smith said that the game "wasn’t as good as it should have been," which, LOL.

When the Cambridges were finally able to visit the home in person, sitting outside and wearing masks in August 2020, they were eager to meet Drew-Smith. Reintroducing himself, the Duke of Cambridge told her, "We did the bingo with you, and you won, but you said we didn't do a very good job."

Not missing a beat, Drew-Smith told them, "No, you did a bloody s****y job," which had everyone present in hysterics. Taking it in his stride, the duke exclaimed, "Excellent!" Oh, Britain.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge react as they were told they aren't good at online bingo by resident Joan Drew Smith (in white blouse) at the Shire Hall Care Home, where they spoke to some of the home's staff, residents and their family members on August 5, 2020 in Cardiff, Wales

According to the Mirror, Prince William went on to tell Drew-Smith, "We have to wear masks because of the virus, but it’s difficult to hear sometimes when you can’t see someone’s mouth."

Pointing at Middleton, the resident responded simply, "Is that your assistant?"

The duchess—equally adept at handling these situations—immediately responded, laughing, "Well I am your assistant. I have been for a long time!"

Her husband later told staff, "I love Joan, she's brilliant. If only everyone was as honest as her."

Watch Drew-Smith being delightfully foul-mouthed (the video is censored).

Thankfully, not everyone at the home was as tough of an audience as Drew-Smith was. Resident Margaret Stocks told the royal couple, "I did enjoy [the bingo]. I hadn’t played it before."

The duchess, ever humble, hit back, "Neither had we! That’s why we were so bad!"

Heartwarming.

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.