A student from Crofton had a close encounter with Prince William on the weekend, and has the pictures to prove it.
Kara Bayley, a 14-year-old student at Duncan Christian School went to Victoria on Sunday to the Royal visit with her friend Kodi Jervis. The pair made it right to the edge of the red carpet, where they were standing as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walked by with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The guests of honour were shaking hands with fans as they went past, but Bayley managed to get selfies with both the Prince and the Prime Minister.
The Department of Canadian Heritage had cautioned fans against taking selfies with the Royals because of time concerns, and Prince William clearly had that on his mind as he posed for the quick snapshot with Bayley.
“He was laughing,” Bayley recalled. “He said, ‘Very nice to meet you,’ and ‘Be very quick with the selfie.’”
Bayley didn’t see anyone else manage to get a photo with either William or Catherine.
“Just me,” she said. “I got lucky.”
Trudeau was on the other side of the red carpet, but came to Bayley’s side when she called him over. Catherine was on the other side of the red carpet as well, and wasn’t able to get over, but did return Bayley’s wave.
A longtime admirer of the Royal Family, It was a huge thrill for Bayley to meet the Prince. “I’m a huge fan,” she said. “I think it was better than meeting Justin Bieber.”
Bayley said she woke up at 1 a.m. to watch the Royal Wedding in 2011, and watched coverage again when Prince George was born in 2013.
“They’re so nice and so kind as a family,” Bayley said. “They made a lot of eye contact with everybody. They’re just a really cool family.”
Bayley is also a fan of Trudeau.
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“He’s, like, the best prime minister,” she said. “I like him a lot better than the others. He’s just a fun guy, too. He’s nice to teenagers and the younger generation. A lot of my friends have taken selfies with Justin Trudeau.”
Bayley might not be done her Royal watching for this visit. She had hoped to see Prince George and Princess Charlotte, but they weren’t with their parents last Sunday, so she’s pondering another trip to Victoria this coming weekend.
Regardless of whether or not she gets to see the youngest royals, the entire experience to this point has been rewarding for Bayley.
“That was my first time meeting a celebrity, and it was pretty neat,” she said. “I took a selfie with a future king. That’s pretty cool.”
