94-Year-Old Stella Drewett Unfazed by Princess Kate’s Doorstep Arrival: ‘I Don’t Know Any Celebrities’
While having a future queen arrive at your front door to chauffeur you to lunch is an extraordinary event for most, 94-year-old Stella Drewett took the encounter entirely in stride when the Princess of Wales pulled up outside her home on Wednesday, September 30.
Spotlighting the 50th anniversary of West Sussex Minibus—a volunteer-run rural transit initiative dedicated to curbing social isolation—Princess Kate, 44, joined frontline volunteers aboard one of the fleet’s minibuses in Pulborough, personally assisting elderly community members from their doorsteps to a weekly lunch club hosted at the village hall.
Prior to the vehicle’s arrival, Drewett had been told by organizers that a high-profile guest would be escorting her. Speaking to the Mirror, the nonagenarian recounted her delightfully pragmatic reaction:
“When they said, ‘It will be a celebrity,’ I said, ‘I don’t know any celebrities.’”
Undeterred by protocol, Princess Kate guided Drewett down her front path and assisted her onto the bus. Drewett, who regularly relies on the non-profit service for her weekly errands and Wednesday social gatherings, brought a smile to the royal’s face during the drive by noting that the outing meant “one day of not cooking.”
Inside the Pulborough Village Hall, the Princess engaged warmly with attendees, snacking on crisps while listening to personal accounts of how the transit lifeline enriches rural life. Outside the venue, Kate further charmed onlookers when she encountered a young boy named Albie; observing that the child was preparing to leap off a street curb, the royal mother casually placed her handbag on the pavement to hold his hands, supporting him through two safe jumps.
The minibus journey marked the Princess’s second consecutive day of public engagements, following a joint appearance with Prince William at Leeds’ Headingley Rugby Stadium and a visit to Wakefield’s DIY Kitchens Stadium to support athlete Kevin Sinfield as he completed an intensive seven-day ultramarathon challenge for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities.
