The Duchess of Cambridge has said that “Mary” was one of the first words uttered by her son Prince Louis because he has been exposed to Mary Berry’s cookbooks.
Kate makes the revelation about her one-year-old son while appearing alongside the TV cook in a new BBC festive special, A Berry Royal Christmas.
She says: “One of Louis’ first words was ‘Mary’, because right at his height are all my cooking books in the kitchen bookshelf.
“And children are really fascinated by faces, and your faces are all over your cooking books and he would say ‘That’s Mary Berry’ … so he would definitely recognise you if he saw you today.”
The TV programme also features the Duke of Cambridge, and sees Berry and the royal couple go on four separate visits, including to two charities they support.
Berry describes William and Kate as “remarkable” in her new festive programme.
The former Great British Bake Off star says: “They don’t just arrive and shake a few hands make a few smiles and a speech, they want to get involved, and they want to see what they can do.
“And it isn’t just one visit, they come back again and ask for the results and they remember who they spoke to last time. I think that’s remarkable.”
The one-off show sees William and Kate join Berry in the kitchen to cook some of her favourite Christmas recipes as she helps prepare food for a royal event, held to thank all those working and volunteering over the festive period.
The programme culminates in a Christmas party hosted by the royal couple, and will see former Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain join proceedings.
Speaking to The Mail On Sunday’s You magazine, Berry reflected on meeting William and Kate, comparing them to pigeons, which are believed to be romantic birds who mate for life.
Berry, 84, said: “They really are a pigeon couple.
“When they are together, he’s constantly touching her arm and looking over at her smiling and she’s the same with him. So natural.”
A Berry Royal Christmas airs on December 16 at 8.30pm on BBC One.