Mary Berry Breaks Down in Tears After Surprise Royal Message on Her 90th Birthday
Dame Mary Berry marked a truly special milestone on Monday as she turned 90—and let’s just say, the birthday surprises left her properly emotional. The beloved Bake Off legend appeared on The One Show, where she was caught completely off guard by a heartfelt message from none other than Prince William himself.
In the pre-recorded clip, the Prince of Wales beamed as he wished her a happy birthday, calling her “a true national treasure” and saying how much he and the family had loved working with her. He ended the sweet message with a bit of a cheeky joke: “I dread to think who’s cooking your cake and the criticism they might get, but good luck and I hope it goes really well”, reported the Express.
As the video played, Mary was visibly touched. She clutched her chest and, with her voice wobbling, simply said, “Oh, what an honour!” It didn’t take long for the tears to start, and host Alex Jones laughed, “Straight from the off, we’ve got the tears!”
There’s clearly a warm connection between Dame Mary and the Prince. They’ve worked together in the past—most memorably on the 2019 BBC One special A Berry Royal Christmas. Both share a deep passion for charity work, particularly around child bereavement, with Prince William being a patron of Child Bereavement UK.
The birthday special on The One Show was a real celebration of Mary’s life and achievements. Co-hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp took viewers through her incredible career, from food writer to Bake Off royalty, and the impressive woman behind the national treasure status.
Alex, speaking on BBC Radio 2 ahead of the show, hinted that it would be a tearjerker. “We had lots of messages throughout the program for Mary—but one in particular blew her away. I mean, there were tears before we’d even started,” she said. Alex called it a “lovely chance” to honor someone who’s not only an icon but also “a really lovely friend.”
Mary wasn’t short on famous faces helping her celebrate. Claudia Winkleman, chef Monica Galetti, and her old Bake Off pals Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins all joined in the fun on the night.
There were also warm wishes from Dame Joanna Lumley, Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood, Great British Menu presenter Andi Oliver, and Death in Paradise star Don Warrington. After decades of inspiring homebakers across the country, it was clear the love for Mary Berry was still going strong—and she felt every bit of it on her big day.