Prince William gave one devoted royal fan an extraordinary moment she had waited 80 years for when he finally met Jamila Akhtar during his visit to Ilminster.
Jamila’s long-awaited encounter with a member of the Royal Family reportedly required a journey of around an hour and a half, followed by another 90 minutes before she finally came face-to-face with the Prince of Wales.
The emotional wait made her meeting with William particularly memorable, turning what could have been a routine royal engagement into a moment that she had apparently spent most of her life hoping would happen.
William was visiting Sweet Surprise in Ilminster, a café that provides adults with learning disabilities with opportunities to develop practical skills, gain experience and become more involved in their local community.
The Prince took time to meet people connected with the café and learn more about how the organisation helps adults build confidence while creating opportunities for them to participate in everyday community life.
His visit formed part of a wider trip through Somerset, where William was exploring how local communities are preparing for increasingly challenging weather conditions and supporting people who may be particularly vulnerable during emergencies.
William also heard from the Area Resilience Group, a volunteer network that works with local residents during emergencies, including periods of severe flooding.
The Prince later highlighted the visit on Instagram, sharing photographs and explaining how community spaces such as Sweet Surprise can become especially valuable when people are dealing with difficult circumstances.
Yet among the official discussions about resilience and community support, Jamila’s extraordinary wait created one of the most touching moments of William’s visit.
For a royal fan who had waited eight decades for the opportunity, the encounter represented far more than simply seeing a future King in person.
William’s wider visit also included a lighter moment when his connection to another popular British pastime unexpectedly came up during his time in Skenfrith, Monmouthshire.
The Prince’s love of The Traitors was mentioned during a conversation with actor Ross Kemp, who was delighted to discover that William and Princess Kate are fans of the hugely popular BBC reality show.
Kemp reacted with surprise and humour, saying he had never experienced anything quite like the level of public interest surrounding the programme despite having spent 43 years on television.
The former EastEnders star joked that even people who had previously ignored him were now asking for photographs, including a man at his local garage who had suddenly become interested in meeting him.
Kemp is taking part in the latest series and revealed with a smile that he is a “faithful,” adding another playful moment to William’s otherwise serious day of community-focused engagements.
The contrast between the two encounters made William’s visit especially memorable, with the Prince moving from discussions about emergency preparedness and support for vulnerable residents to discovering that he and Kate share a television obsession with one of Britain’s most recognisable actors.
But for Jamila, the day will likely be remembered for one reason above everything else: after waiting 80 years for a royal encounter, she finally got her moment with Prince William.
