Cheeky Wolverhampton veteran: Kiss me Kate

He is a former desert rat who risked his life for his country, so when 88-year-old Arthur Jones asked for a peck The Duchess of Cambridge could hardly say no.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined veterans yesterday afternoon at a number of events in France to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

But it was at a tea party in Arromanches that the pensioner decided to test his luck.

When Kate sat down to talk to Mr Jones, he asked her: "Is it OK to kiss a Princess?"

Laughing, she replied: "Of course it is."

Mr Jones, from the 7th Armoured Division, seized the moment and gave Catherine a kiss on the cheek.

Afterwards, Mr Jones, from Wolverhampton, said: "As the prince (William) left he said to me 'Were you chatting up my wife?'

"I told him I only gave her a kiss.

"William laughed but I'm chuffed I've chatted up a princess. I bet I'll be picked up now and taken to the Tower of London.

"It was a lovely kiss - she is very sweet and very lovely. I lost my wife 10 years ago, and I'm on my own now, so I don't get many opportunities for kisses any more.

"I always thought Kate looked beautiful, but she has a very down to earth personality - it was like she was one of us."

Catherine, dressed in a military-style Alexander McQueen coat and black hat, split up with William to talk to a table each.