Kate’s Former Teachers Reveal What She Was Like At School
On Monday, during a visit to South Wales, Duchess Kate had an emotional reunion with her primary school teachers for the first time in 20 years.
Denise Evans-Allford and Kevin Allford travelled from their home in Carmathenshire to see again their former pupil.
After their meeting, Mr Allford shared with Press Association what Kate was like at school. “She was a hard worker and very conscientious.”
He added: “Obviously she was the same in sport. She was a tremendous athlete and swimmer. I used to be in charge of swimming and she was very, very good, as her sister was.”
Duchess Kate attended St Andrew’s independent prep school in Pangbourne, Berkshire, along with her sister, Pippa and brother James, until she was 13.
Denise was her netball coach, while Kevin taught her French, German and PE.
Mr Allford said: “The security officer very kindly took that back into the ice cream place and then somebody came to find us. She said, ‘Follow me’ and she put us right next to the doorway. We really want to thank that security officer.”
Mr Allford said: “We didn’t know what to expect when she came out, we didn’t want to break protocol. We wouldn’t feel right curtsying or shaking hands. We didn’t have to do anything in the end because she instigated a hug right away.
“She has obviously changed physically since we last saw her, she has grown about a foot but in terms of personality and the way she is, she hasn’t changed at all. It was a great occasion for us, it was a very emotional reunion.
“After she left us, she got in the car next to William and said, ‘They’re my former prep school tutors’, and he said, ‘Oh, wow’ and made a special effort to wave at us.”