109-year-old tells Prince his gran needs a new dress (From Oxford Mail)

109-year-old tells Prince his gran needs a new dress

7:05pm Monday 11th May 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(5)

WHAT would you do if an heir to the throne came for tea?

Catherine Masters – the eldest woman in Oxfordshire at 109-years-old – swapped tips on making Shepherd’s Pie.

Prince William surprised Mrs Masters, known as Katie, and fellow residents at the Grange Care Centre, Stanford in the Vale, when he dropped by, giving just five minutes notice.

And the prince even listened to a grumble about his grandmother’s yellow dress during his visit on Friday afternoon.

Mrs Masters told the Prince that, of the five birthday cards she had received from Her Majesty, each one featured her wearing the same yellow outfit.

Mrs Masters, who described Prince William as “lovely”, added: “I told him I would like the Queen to have a new dress. I think either a blue or white one would be nice.

“We talked about lots of things.

“He told me he liked making shepherd’s pie and said he used a masher to mash the potatoes, but I told him he was doing it wrong – he should use a fork to fluff the potatoes.”

Prince William agreed it was high time his grandma changed her dress and said he would pass on Mrs Master’s comments as they enjoyed tea, scones and chocolate eclairs at the home.

Earlier this year, Mrs Masters’ stepdaughter wrote to the Palace to complain on her behalf about the card. Buckingham Palace replied by saying the Queen changed her dress for cards every five years, but would be taking on a new look this year.

The special spur-of-the-moment visit was organised by Wantage MP Ed Vaizey.

Wendy Mead, senior nurse manager at the Grange, where Mrs Masters has lived for three years, said: “I received a letter saying they could not arrange anything.

“I wrote to Ed Vaizey who organised the whole thing.

“On Friday we received a call and within five minutes, Prince William had arrived. There were bodyguards everywhere. He stayed for about 40 minutes talking to Katie about her past and history. It was fabulous.”

Twice-married Mrs Masters, who was born in Dundee, has a son Kenneth, two grandsons, Robert and David McInnes, three great-grand-children, Josh, Isobel, Fiona, stepdaughter Carol Bostock-Smith and two stepgrand-daughters, Claire and Rachel.

She was born in November 1899, while Queen Victoria was still on the throne.

An invitation is in the post for a garden party at Buckingham Palace on July 7.

wantage@oxfordmail.co.uk

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(5)