Cover (Image: @kensingtonpalace/Instagram)

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's BBC Christmas special with baking legend Mary Berry has fans falling in love with their down-to-earth personalities

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are amongst the most popular members of the royal family, ranking third and fourth according to YouGov’s public poll.

Despite being in line to become the future King and Queen of United Kingdom, the couple, who are parents to three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—have always been admired for their loving family and modest lifestyle.

Their down-to-earth approach to their relationship and parenthood was especially obvious in BBC’s A Berry Royal Christmas TV special that aired last night.

During the hour-long program, Prince William and Kate Middleton enlisted the help of baking star and former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry for the menu of their party to thank the staff and volunteers at their patron charities, who will be working tirelessly over the Christmas holidays.

Ahead of the event, the celebrated baker met up with William and Kate separately, learning more about their charity work and personal lives.

The royal couple even rolled up their sleeves for a little competition to make meringue roulades for the party, which ended in a draw.

Viewers were drawn to their effortless interactions and unpretentious demeanour earning the couple even more fans. Here are some interesting tidbits we learned about the Cambridge family from the show.

1. The Duchess is a big fan of Mary Berry

During Kate and Mary’s first meeting at the Back to Nature Festival at The Royal Horticultural Society's garden at Wisley in Surrey, the Duchess shared that she enjoys cooking with her three children to encourage creativity and independence.

“Actually, one of the last things we cooked together was your pizza dough!” she told Mary Berry. “They loved it. Absolutely loved it.”

Kate added that one of Louis’ first words “was his version of ‘Mary,’” because all of Kate’s cooking books are at his height on the kitchen bookshelf.

“And, you know, children are really fascinated by faces, and your face is all over your cooking books, and he would say, ‘That’s Mary Berry’… so he would definitely recognise you if he saw you today.”

2. George, Charlotte and Louis’ birthday cakes are baked by Kate herself

As Mary guided Kate into icing the cupcakes—while sneaking in her trademark innuendo-filled quip asking if she’d like to “have a squirt on a cake”—Kate admitted that she loves making the birthday cakes for her children.

“It’s become a bit of a tradition that I stay up until midnight with ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing," she said. "I make far too much but I love it.”

3. The Cambridges grow their own vegetables

Kate is known to have a keen interest in organic food, with rumours brewing for years that an organic food line was on the cards with her sister, Pippa Middleton.

On a walk with Mary, the Duchess revealed that the family grows their own vegetables on the estate.

“We’ve got carrots, beans, beetroot—a massive favourite—Louis absolutely loves beetroot,” she enthused. “Charlotte, obviously, likes her Charlotte potatoes.”

This revelation inspired Mary to create a chocolate beetroot cake for the party.

4. William’s parenting style is inspired by his mother, the late Princess Diana

Speaking with Mary at The Passage, a charity for the homeless, of which William is the royal patron, the Duke of Cambridge revealed that Princess Diana is a strong influence on his style of parenting.

The prince first visited the charity, United Kingdon’s largest resource centre for homeless individuals, with Diana in 1993 and said it has had a “profound impact” on him.

“My mother knew what she was doing with it,” he said.

“She realised that it was very important when you grow up—especially in the life that we grew up—that you realise that life happens beyond palace walls, and that you see real people struggling with real issues.”

Asked if he would bring his children along to the charity when they are older, William shared that he had already started to speak to George and Charlotte about such issues.

“On the school run—I know it sounds a little bit contrite—but on the school run already, bear in mind they're six and four, whenever we see someone who is sleeping rough on the street, I talk about it and I point it out and I explain why,” he revealed.

“And they are all very interested and they ask why can’t they go home.”

5. George has already written his Christmas wish list

Chatting with a group of The Passage clients and staff, the Duke talked about his Christmas gift for George. 

“He loves his drawing, he’s a very good drawer. We might give him something to do with drawing or football. He’s loving his football as well.”

William, who is an avid Aston Villa supporter, added that he told George he could “support anyone but Chelsea”.

“So naturally, he supports Chelsea.”

6. William wooed Kate with his cooking

Despite William telling Mary that he doesn’t cook, Kate thought otherwise.

“He sometimes does, actually. He’s very good at breakfast. In our university days, he used to cook all sorts of meals. I think that’s when he was trying to impress me, Mary,” Kate said with a laugh. “Things like Bolognese sauce and things like that.”

The royal couple first met in 2001 as students in residence at St. Salvatore’s Hall at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and started dating in 2002. William reportedly fell in love with Kate after watching her walk the runway at the Don’t Walk charity fashion show, and kissed her at the after-party.

7. Like many students, Kate was a waitress in her university days

One might think someone with a charmed life like Kate wouldn’t need a part-time job, but the Duchess revealed that she “did a bit of waitressing” when she was in university.

This revelation came as she was helping Mary whip up a tray of festive mocktails at The Brink, the UK’s first dry bar, and part of Kate’s patron charity, Action on Addiction.

“Were you good?” Mary asked, to which Kate replied, “No, I was terrible.”

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