Kate’s flirtfest with sailor
A handsome yachtsman has the duchess blushing writes ERIN HOLOHAN
She’s one of the hardest working members of the royal family, dutifully balancing motherhood with her civic responsibilities. It’s rare to see the Duchess of Cambridge let her guard down – aside from the odd occasion when she’s able to indulge her love of sports, she remains stoic.
But last week, stunned royal watchers caught a glimpse of Kate’s flirtatious side, when she couldn’t hide her delight at
teaming up with a handsome sailor for some onboard fun.
Kate, 34, giggled like a giddy schoolgirl and shared lots of jokes with 39-year-old yachtsman Sir Ben Ainslie, who looked to be equally enamoured with the beautiful royal.
‘Flirty, fun guy’
Onlookers in Portsmouth, UK, were shocked to see the Olympic gold medallist gently put his hand on the duchess’s face as he strapped her into her helmet.
Against royal protocol – which dictates that commoners must not touch members of the royal family, Ben was later seen resting his hand on Kate’s elbow.
While her husband Prince William knows Kate loves him dearly, royal insiders say the future king was furious at the pair’s visible connection.
And it didn’t help that Kate’s palpable chemistry with Ben was again the topic of conversation when she and Wills joined the rest of the royal family for official events later that week.
“I haven’t seen Kate touched on the face and elbow before. It doesn’t happen that often,” our royal insider says. “I particularly haven’t seen her touched by such a buffed, good-looking guy.”
Ben is one of England’s best sailors, and royal watchers can’t help but note he’s a far cry from dutiful and slightly daggy Wills.
“He’s a bit of a larrikin, flirty, fun, and a good laugh – and very, very different from solid and dependable Wills!”
To make matters worse, Kate and Ben share a long history, with this being her third excursion on his boat. Insiders say Kate also has a long-held love of sailing, having worked as a deckhand before she met Wills.
Planning a catch-up
“Kate was a capable sailor and an excellent crew member,” a friend says. “She got involved in the dirty work, like cleaning the toilets. She was happy to get stuck in.”
It’s likely Wills will have some stern words for Kate about how she conducts herself on official outings, particularly as she and Ben – who she also caught up with later in the day – will cross paths again when Kate supports Britain’s bid to win the America’s Cup in July. They’ve also teamed up on an initiative to get children sailing.
Back at base last week, Ben raved about her. “The duchess was steering the boat… I think the guys were really impressed with how well she sailed. There were a few moments she was a better helmsperson than I am, so I wasn’t too happy about that!”