A former private secretary to Prince William has disclosed the three-word instruction his employer once issued him — and how it left him "petrified".
Military veteran Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton served as private secretary to both the future King and his brother Prince Harry from 2005 until 2013. Throughout that time, he also became well acquainted with Princess Catherine, whom he described as a "really cool woman".
In 2011, the year William and Kate exchanged vows in an unforgettable ceremony at Westminster Abbey, it was Jamie who found himself entrusted with an enormous responsibility.
Disclosing what the weighty three-word order entailed, he told The Times: "I was petrified because he said to me early on, 'You're running it.' And it's the closest I'll ever get to a divisional command because you had all these brilliant experts and you didn't need to do anything.
"You just needed to set the parameters and let people do what they were so bloody good at."
Despite the considerable pressure of delivering for William and his wife-to-be, he noted the "wedding was great" and that the future monarch "chose well" in Kate. He further described the couple as perfectly matched, reminding him fondly of his own mum and dad.
Some 25 years after they first crossed paths as students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, William and Kate remain as closely bonded as ever, residing at Forest Lodge with their children Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte.
Despite it being 13 years since Jamie worked alongside William, he recalled encountering Kate in Suffolk last year during an official engagement.
She greeted him warmly with a kiss, prompting him to reveal: "I was so embarrassed, I nearly headbutted her. I didn't know if I should be bowing. It was so sweet of her."
Jamie serves as Prince George's godfather — with William and Kate's eldest child set to begin at Eton College this September.
William was 22 and Harry was 20 when Jamie entered their lives, and he described both brothers as "brave guys".
He confessed he "loved them both", noting that William possessed natural leadership qualities while his younger sibling was "more of a mischievous cub, scampering around".
When questioned about the well-documented rift between the brothers in recent years, Jamie indicated he would sooner keep his distance from the subject.
Nevertheless, he made clear that he remained "very fond" of Harry and firmly believes he possesses "huge redeeming features".
Jamie has enjoyed a remarkably varied career following his service with the Royal Family and his previous role as an SAS soldier.
The 65-year-old has now added novelist to his impressive list of accomplishments, with his debut book, Beyond the Edge of Light, due to be published next month.
