Daring Wills puts Kate on edge by leaning to gaze over a cliff during their Royal Tour
PRINCE William put his wife Kate and royal tour officials on edge yesterday – by leaning forward to gaze over the rim of a 320ft cliff.
The Duchess of Cambridge watched nervously beside a police officer in a safety harness as her husband stood just 18 inches from the edge of the precipice.
In brown suede loafers almost as impractical as Kate’s wedges, William caused consternation as he ignored a safety briefing and gazed down at the Jamison Valley from Narrow Neck Lookout, in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
Damien Cooper, manager of the region’s youth service, said: “I think he made everyone a bit nervous. He took a step over and took a look down. I had a brief moment there.
“He took a bit of a lunge and a few people held their breath, gasped and readied their hands to grab him.”
The royal couple, on the second day of their tour of Australia, watched youngsters on an adventure training course abseil down on the cliff-face.
Soon afterwards the Duke and Duchess put on earplugs to board a Royal Australian Navy helicopter which flew them to meet families who lost their homes during last October’s bush fires.
I think he made everyone a bit nervous. He took a step over and took a look down. I had a brief moment there
The Blue Mountains suburb of Winmalee bore the brunt of the devastation, losing 195 out of the 248 properties destroyed by the fires, which also claimed two lives.
One of those affected, Eartha Odell, 47, said: “William and Kate were just really personable and sincere in trying to understand our grief.
“They were very sweet and very warm. I totally respect that they took the time out to visit our street.”
There was a security scare when two men using headsets were stopped and searched.
One appeared to be wearing a bullet-proof vest but it turned out to be a mesh garment emblazoned with pro-Israel stickers. They were moved on from the area.
In fact, the 400-strong crowd was more focused on Kate’s £292 blue-and-white batik print Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress which sold out within eight minutes of photographs appearing of her wearing it. The royals made a point of meeting Girl Guides in Winmalee.
When the conversation turned to education, Ludgrove Prep and Eton-educated William, now 31, confessed that he had not really liked school.
He asked which of the girls had enjoyed their lessons. “A lot of the littler ones put their hands up. A lot of the seniors didn’t put their hands,” 13-year-old Brianna Sten revealed.
She told how William then responded by saying: “That’s all right. I didn’t really like school either.”