Brummie queen Alison Hammond shows up to meet Prince William and Kate in Birmingham

It was an exciting day in Birmingham as Brummie royalty met the actual Royal family.

Hundreds of Royal fans flocked to see Prince William and Princess Kate on their trip to Birmingham to celebrate our rich diverse culture and heritage and creative industries ahead of King Charles III coronation on May 6.

And none other than our Brummie queen Alison Hammond joined the line up to welcome the Royal couple during their trip, which included lunch at the Indian Streatery on Bennetts Hill - and a game of darts at the 180 Club at The Rectory in St Paul’s Square in the Jewellery Quarter.

Princess Kate competed with Alison Hammond in the darts challenge earlier today (Wednesday, April 20). We’ve not heard who won - but as soon as we find out, we’ll let you know.

The Royal visit to Birmingham was part of their wider tour of the country ahead of the King’s coronation. Prince William is a huge Aston Villa fan and the royal couple arrived in Aston Villa colours.

Excited fans, many of whom were on their lunch breaks, gathered around police barricades waiting for the Prince and Princess of Wales in Birmingham city centre and Jewellery Quarter. The atmosphere was electric as royal fans stood around to catch a glimpse of the prince and princess.

When Will and Kate exited the city centre restaurant - The Indian Streatery - after a meal and a roti making challenge they headed over to the public that had gathered. The Prince joked and laughed with his fans asking one if they had visited the Indian Streatery.

He said he was served with a spicy curry and was beaten in the challenge to make rotis (an Indian flatbread) by his wife, Kate. The challenge was judged by the restaurant’s head chef and co-owner, Meena Sharma.

What did Prince William and Kate Middleton eat at the Indian Streatery?

In the first of two stops in Birmingham, Will and Kate said they “love curries” and “secretly try lots of curry houses around the country”. The team at the family-run restaurant served street food specials like bhel puri and pani puri to the royal couple. They also dined on dhaaba chicken, roti, and green roti - which was spinach and fenugreek.

About the food at the restaurant, Kate said the food is “so nostalgic” and she “loves spice”. Meanwhile, William said he preferred milder food, adding: “I’m a masala man.” When asked whether their children enjoy Indian food, Kate replied: “Absolutely, they love it.”

The restaurant is run by the Sharma family, led by Head Chef and mum Meena, who came up with the original vision to bring real Indian street food to the streets of Birmingham. The restaurant, which is home to an all-female chef team, started life as a street food stall in Digbeth and was a firm favourite at the city’s Digbeth Dining Club. The restaurant, which opened in 2017, serves up a combination of authentic Indian street food, Sharma family favourites and British/Asian fusion dishes.

The menu at the restaurant includes a cocktail named after each family member behind the restaurant, but William said he could not think of what he would call a cocktail inspired by his wife when asked by Dhiraj Sharma, the 27-year-old general manager.

He admitted he preferred vodka and enjoyed a Kamikaze cocktail as they were “silent but deadly”. Kate said she loves cooking Lebanese food and added: “I quite like tequila.” Prince William also asked staff for their top tips on preparing rice as it was always “soggy” when he made it, with Mrs Sharma, who opened the restaurant in 2017 and runs an all-female kitchen, telling staff not to give away the eatery’s recipes.

What did the Indian Streatery say

Speaking after the royals departed, Mrs Sharma, 63, said: “It was very surreal and not something you ever think about. “You never think royalty will come to your humble abode but it’s been an absolute pleasure to have them here.”

Confirming Kate as the winner of the roti cooking competition, Mrs Sharma, who first came to the UK in 1966 from India, said: “I think clearly there was only one winner, and I think the person who knew they weren’t the winner admitted that as well.”

Prince and Princess in Jewellery Quarter

In the next leg of their visit, the royal couple visited the Rectory, which is located on St Paul’s Square. It is a modern bar and restaurant with an basement bar - where they played darts.

Prince William told a fan, who had been waiting to see him outside the restaurant, that he played darts Alison Hammond - who nearly took herself out. Alison Hammond - who was on Brummie comedian Joe Lycett’s late night show - wore a red animal print dress and her make-up looked on point. She waved to excited fans and took selfies with them before leaving.