Nightmare on bus with cheeky Harry

DIANA wanted her sons to experience ‘normal’ travel, too, and in April 1992 asked if I could take them on a red London Routemaster bus. I said that with planning, anything was possible.

So one day, instead of driving to Smollensky’s Balloon family restaurant on The Strand, I agreed we could take the bus.

Prince Harry in particular loved the idea. With Harry, however, nothing was straightforward. Our driver was a Pakistani and every time we set off after a stop, Harry couldn’t resist tilting his head and saying loud and fast and with a slight accent, ‘Bud bud ding ding!’ within earshot of the other passengers and, indeed, the driver.

Diana was furious and immediately chastised her impish son, who I am sure was only meaning

to be funny, not racist. But her admonishment had no impact — in fact, it just encouraged him.

Every time the bell went at a stop, he chirped up with ‘Bud bud ding ding!’ until I suggested it was best that we got off as we were drawing attention to ourselves.

Diana apologised profusely to the driver, who was oblivious and had no idea who they were either. William, who could also be a little disingenuous, even sly, revelled in Harry’s ticking-off.

But Harry didn’t care one way or the other. I still have a little note he wrote to me, thanking me for organising his adventure on the buses.

He signed off with his name, followed by ‘Bud bud ding ding!’. He was incorrigible, but likeable all the same.