What to Know
As members of the monarchy (and one of the most famous families in the world), Kate Middleton and Prince William are probably used to having some bizarre interactions with the public… but now that their kids are getting involved, some people are becoming concerned about their safety.
One TikTok video is calling out a well known royal superfan for the way he spoke with Will and Kate’s kids on Christmas, and their exchange is raising more than a few alarm bells now that footage of the moment is going viral.
The royals are clearly familiar with this fan.
@matta_of_fact If you watch royal coverage, you’ve likely seen John Loughrey, a well-known royal superfan who camps out for major events. At this year’s Sandringham Christmas Day walk, his interactions with Prince William and Princess Kate’s family (especially Prince George) were unusually long and familiar. They also included repeated references to Princess Diana while speaking directly to the kids – which are now garnering headlines. William and Kate handled it professionally, but the exchanges raise bigger questions about boundaries, fandom, and emotional access to royals…particularly when children are involved. Where should the line be drawn? #royalfamily #britishroyals #willandkate #princeandprincessofwales #royalnews ♬ som original – SuperWave RetroHits – Art Bove
A royal commentator on TikTok, @matta_of_fact, shared videos of the fan’s conversation with Will, Kate, and their kids when they were at Sandringham for Christmas — a place where fans commonly gather to wish the family a happy holiday. The man in question is a 70-year-old named John Loughrey.
In one clip, Kate teases, “I see you everywhere,” while William actually calls his kids over to meet the man, who he appears to know by name.
“George, I’ve got something to say to you. Nanny Diana would be ever so proud of you. Proud of you all,” John said, mentioning the late Princess Diana (the grandmother that William’s kids never got to meet).
John has been made famous for his love of the family.
John is well known for how much he loves the royal family — in particular, Diana. As USA Today reported, he quit his job to attend every court session that was part of the inquest into her death, and ever since, he’s been dedicated to being there for the royals’ biggest moments.
This means that over the years, he’s slept on a bench for a whopping eight days, waiting for the birth of Prince George outside of the hospital, and spent two weeks queued up for Princess Charlotte‘s arrival. He also gave Queen Elizabeth roses for her 90th birthday.
People are starting to get concerned about the royal kids’ safety.
In the comments of the TikTok people, not only did people mention how inappropriate it was for a fan to bring up Diana to William’s children, but they are also voicing their concern for the kids’ safety.
“Stalking children to speak to them about their dead grandmother who was gruesomely killed when their dad was a kid. Yeah totally normal,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “This is unsafe. They need to set a boundary now before the obsession escalates to violence.”
