The Duke of Cambridge today revealed he is a fan of Nando's – after being introduced to the restaurant chain by one of his detectives. William told Robert Brozin, who co-founded the brand in South Africa 31 years ago, that he had sampled his food. Pointing to his police protection officer, William said: "This man here is your biggest fan, he’s introduced me to Nandos. It’s very good. He should buy a stake in Nandos."
William joins the ranks of high-profile fans of the chain, which is famed for its spicy Peri Peri chicken dishes, including Oprah Winfrey, Jay Z, David Beckham, Ricky Gervais and Rihanna. The Duke was attending the Next Generation Impact Entrepreneurs Forum – a joint session of the Commonwealth Youth and Business Forums – at the QEII Centre in Westminster. Delegates included philanthropists and representatives from the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs (CAYE), a network supported by the Commonwealth Youth Forum.
© Photo: TwitterPrince William attended the Next Generation Impact Entrepreneurs Forum on Tuesday
Robert Brozin, who co-founded Nandos in Johannesburg in 1987, said: “I'm not surprised he's eaten at Nando's. The beauty of Prince Harry and Prince William is that they're really accessible and they are guys that go out a lot - I'm very happy that they've tried it. I was certain they would have tried it because they're so accessible they're people's people, which is so nice.”
STORY: Prince WIlliam and Kate as you've never seen them before!
Robert Brozin added: "I want to share with the young Commonwealth entrepreneurs about the opportunities that are available and how to reach out." Asked about the secret of his success he replied: "The people that work for us and the product obviously, it's the people that make the chicken."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Duke admitted he is a big fan of Nando's
William also spoke about his ambitions for the Royal Foundation, which he founded with Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 and which Meghan Markle will join as fourth patron after the Royal Wedding. He told delegates: "We, as the Royal Foundation, can help lead, but if we can connect to some of those bigger foundations in the world and come together with one message, imagine the focus and the change. I like the idea of a team. It’s all about how we work together."
MORE: Prince William drops big hint about gender of the royal baby
The roundtable discussion was led by Robert Pattle, Vice Chairman of Standard Chartered Private Bank, a former equerry of the Prince of Wales who also served as Master of the Household at Clarence House. Chatting to delegates before taking his seat, William joked: "He’s very organised, he’s very impressive. I don’t know where he’s learned that from." One of the delegates also wished the Duke well as he prepares to become a father of three, with wife Kate due to give birth any day now. Simon McMurtrie, of Thames Chairman and Consultancy Services, told him: "Good luck with number three child," to which William smiled and said "Thanks."
Prince William's third child is due any day now
In his opening remarks to the Forum, which explored what the Commonwealth can do to encourage, empower and connect entrepreneurs, the Duke said: "As I have travelled across the Commonwealth and here in the UK, I have always been impressed by the ingenuity, the drive and commitment of those I meet behind small and medium sized companies particularly. When Catherine and I visited India in 2016, we were completely blown away by the innovation on display in the Indian businesses we met – from Formula E-Cars and new ways of teaching braille."
He added that he hoped the Youth and Business Forums would continue to team up in future, saying: "Given the importance of the issues you are discussing today – from tackling youth unemployment to nurturing entrepreneurs of the future – I hope that this joint session will continue at future CHOGMs as we go forward."
