Dame Mary Berry is known for sharing her knowledge and top tips to help out others, and it isn't only cooking and baking she likes to do this for.

As well as offering insights into her marriage secrets, Mary has also recently turned her hand to sharing years of gardening pointers gathered over decades of finding joy in tending to her outdoor spaces.

Recently, the cooking legend has shared two of the kitchen rules she lives by that she believes will elevate any savoury dish you create in the kitchen - and they're both so easy to replicate at home.

In conversation with Hello!, Mary reveals that her tips are this simple: When cooking at home, always have basil to hand and always have some thyme available. As she likes using her home grown produce in her kitchen, she prefers to use fresh herbs.

"Fresh herbs give a lift to dishes, and most are so simple to grow," she explains, saying that she loves basil because it's her "favourite," and thyme is so useful because it "can improve almost any recipe."

Expanding on her love of growing vegetables, herbs and flowers in her garden to bring inside to enjoy, Mary says, "There is so much joy in growing flowers and vegetables and bringing them into the house."

She continues, "I find this so rewarding. It's really about enjoying taking in the simple pleasures of nature and scent. Those everyday moments are the most special, I think."

When she's been busy growing fresh produce to turn into delicious meals in her kitchen, Mary of course wants to share her food with people and wastes no time in delivering her top hosting tips.

"A thoughtfully arranged table sets the scene for any occasion," she says, adding, "It's the little touches that people remember."

Mary continues to share that when it comes to preparing, you should, "Do as much as you can ahead of time," to allow you to then "drop your shoulders and enjoy it."

During a recent appearance on Radio 2, Mary explained just why she loves her garden, reflecting on the poignant benefits being outside brings her.

"Gardens are very special to me, because it is a time to reflect - when you come back from a difficult situation, I open the door, get out in the fresh air and it's amazing how you feel so much better," she says.

She continues, "A garden is peaceful, the noises we hear in our garden are just birds, and it's so restful."

Mary often speaks about the importance of her garden and nature after the death of her son William, who was just 19 when he passed away.

"We lost our son, and that was when the garden was of great comfort," Mary shares, continuing, "William died many years ago, but it was in the garden and outside that we found peace. It gave us time to think and say that we were fortunate in many other ways."

Dame Mary Berry might have become a national treasure thanks to her work in the kitchen, but it’s in a garden where she finds peace and comfort.

The former Bake Off legend spoke with BBC Sounds about the important role gardens have played in her life, not least in helping her find comfort and perspective following the tragic death of her son, William, in 1989.

Mary shared, "If you've had a tragedy as we did, we lost our son, and that was when the garden was of great comfort. William died many years ago, but it was the garden and the outside that we found very restful and at peace."

Movingly, Mary added that she was able to gain some perspective after having the time to sit in the garden and think, overcoming what many might find to be an impossible load of grief, and still be able to count the blessings she did have.

She explained that the garden "gave you time to think and say that we were fortunate in many other ways… We've been blessed in so many other ways and we always look back and think we were so lucky to have him.

"He was a lovely child and at 19 he went, but we still had two other children and they are wonderful to us."

Dame Mary released her first gardening book at the start of 2026, and while they proved vital in helping her cope with loss, they’ve been a place of importance to her for most of her life.

She previously told the RHS, "Gardening has been a constant throughout my life…. I have no training and a blank spot for the Latin names, but I have a passion for the great outdoors and the joy a garden gives.

"I’ve learned a lot from a lifetime of doing it. When I’ve been away, the first thing I do when I come home is go straight out there with my dogs Freddie and Darcey to do a bit of deadheading."

Speaking with BBC Sounds, she touched on this more, "My love for gardening really started when I was very young. Gardens are very special to me because it is a time to reflect. When you come back from a difficult situation… I open the door, get out in the fresh air, and it's amazing how you feel so much better."

Singling out some of her favourite things about gardens, Mary loves the noises. "The garden is peaceful. The noises that we hear in our garden are just the birds and perhaps an odd dog barking, but it's so restful."

'We’ve been married 60 years… We’ve never had a cross word." If anybody else was to say that about their spouse of six decades, one might struggle to believe them. But this is Dame Mary Berry we’re talking about.

The beloved baking icon appeared on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast where she opened up about her life, her regrets and her 60-year marriage to Paul Hunnings. And what a marriage it has been, weathering the tragic loss of their son, William, and Mary’s ascension into full national treasure status.

Through it all, Mary insists the pair have never had a cross word and neither one can 'bear shouting' and she credits it all to two very simple pieces of advice - work out if it’s worth saying something in the heat of the moment and learn to say sorry.

Talking to Fearne, Mary gave married folks everywhere some reassurance that she does, in fact, get frustrated with her husband from time to time, but it’s how she chooses to respond that has kept them from ever having a cross word.

She shared, 'When you think, ‘I can’t believe that he’s done that’ or ‘How stupid!’ I will walk into the garden and walk around and think, ‘Now, am I going to say something? I think we’ll just let it pass.'

Mary has the benefit of having a stunning garden she can go and catch a breather in, previously sharing an inside look into her fabulous greenhouse that she designed to be a place of "peace and quiet".

But when the garden and the greenhouse don’t come through, Mary’s next bit of advice is so simple and so often overlooked - just say sorry. The former Bake Off star shared the valuable life lesson with a story.

Describing a close friend who has three sons, she told Fearne, "At each of the weddings of these sons, you know, the vicar talks to them. And to each of these boys, she said, remember to say sorry."

Mary adds that both parties can, of course, say sorry, but it’s something many fail to do 'because it's rather difficult, because you always think you're perfect.

'It does help to say sorry.'

Having been married for 60 years, Mary has spoken about caring for Paul now the 93-year-old is 'frail', but this aligns with her support of traditional marriage values. In a previous interview with Radio Times, Mary shared, 'I look after him, and it’s a great pleasure. That’s what I promised to do. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. And we are very happy in our dotage.'

Despite a very long, very happy marriage, Mary was surprisingly modern in her thinking when it came to being popped the question. She has previously talked about turning down Paul's proposal twice before eventually saying yes.

'I was having such an interesting time, I wasn't sure I wanted to get married', she told Saga magazine. 'I did say yes eventually,' she added, with an amusing, 'And it seemed to work out.'

Dame Mary Berry might be best known as the queen of the kitchen, but she's long found just as much joy in the garden. Now, the beloved national treasure has teamed up with Holland Cooper to launch the British heritage brand's first-ever gardening collection: a capsule of beautifully crafted essentials designed to bring a little more elegance to time spent outdoors.

The collaboration feels distinctly British, bringing together Mary and Holland Cooper founder Jade Holland Cooper through their shared love of gardening. Inspired by traditional country gardens, the collection features classic green stripe designs across a kneeling pad, apron, gardening bag and picnic blanket, balancing practicality with the timeless style both women are known for.

The launch follows the publication of Mary's first gardening book, My Gardening Life, which offers a personal look at the gardens she has cherished throughout her life and plenty of inspiration for vegetable gardening for beginners. Much like the book itself, this new collection is about more than simply getting jobs done outdoors; it's an ode to the simple pleasures of tending to a garden.

Mary Berry X Holland Cooper Garden Collection

Drawing on traditional country gardening codes, the pieces in the Mary Berry X Holland Cooper Garden Collection come in soft, heritage-inspired green stripes. We love the nod to vintage garden textiles as well as the delicate frill detailing that adds a gentle, feminine finish.

"Being in the garden always makes me feel a little bit better about everything," says Dame Mary Berry. “When you’re popping in and out of the garden, you want something that just works. I think it’s important to feel at ease in what you wear," which is why the collection reflects what it's like when you're doing real gardening. The kneeling pad is sturdy yet elegant enough to leave out in a summer border, while the apron and gardening bag are crafted to feel as at home in a rose garden as they are on a relaxed weekend in the countryside.

As Jade Holland Cooper explains, “Gardening has always been a passion of mine, but I could never find pieces that felt both beautiful and thoughtfully made. So, we created them ourselves, elevated essentials designed for life outdoors.” For her, the collection is about closing that gap between practicality and design, so that everyday gardening moments feel a little more considered.

There is something particularly special about two women brought together by a shared love of gardening and the outdoors. The genuine passion, elegance and timelessness behind the collection shines through in every detail. And with Mary Berry speaking more and more about her life in the garden, from her vegetable plots to what it means to her personally, there is plenty here to feel inspired by.

Dame Mary Berry might be better known as the queen of the kitchen, but she’s just as accomplished in the garden.

The beloved national treasure has been passionate about gardening for decades, and this year, she published her first-ever book on the topic, My Gardening Life. In the book, she covers everything from her first garden in London to her current one-acre land in Henley-on-Thames, where she is often found at peace inside her greenhouse.

Giving fans a sneak peek inside her "first-rate" garden greenhouse, Mary revealed that she’s designed it cleverly to require "no maintenance", including the addition of an automatic vent.

It’s a great tip for anyone looking to really invest in their own gardening space. Greenhouses with auto roof vent openers or an automatic system make regulating the temperature less of a chore.

Mary has also added lighting, so she can spend evenings tending to her plants, including the cucumbers, tomatoes and kumquat she happily shows off in the video. True to Mary Berry’s nature, she reveals that she’s going to turn her kumquat crop into a homemade marmalade.

There are other clever ways Mary has designed the most accessible and easy to use greenhouse, such as having everything on raised beds or tables with what appears to be built in storage at an easy level to reach.

If you’re wanting to grow plenty of fruit, veg and plants like Dame Mary, but you don’t want to always be crouching or bending down, this is a really clever way of making it perfect for your needs.

Having things in organised containers and laid out will also stop things growing out of control, and reduce the need for you to be out weeding or shovelling mounds of soil.

Shop greenhouse essentials

As well as growing crops for her baking and cooking, Mary shared how she uses the greenhouse to always keep a steady supply of scented geraniums for her home.

She explained, "I bring geraniums, pelargoniums, in and out of the greenhouse, and once they've flowered, perhaps I've had them in the house, I bring them out to recover."

While baking is, arguably, always going to be her bread and butter - pun not intended - having a garden has been something of a lifeline for Dame Mary over the years.

In an interview with the RHS at the beginning of the year, she explained how the Chelsea Flower Show offered a "breath of fresh air" for her after losing her son, William, in 1989.

What followed was finding comfort in gardening. She shared, "We were given many plants after William died - white-flowered Helleborus niger in particular, which was in bloom around the time.

"We brought them with us from our last house to this because I couldn’t part with them. I brought many plants from that house - such as Romneya coulteri, and Alstroemeria because they hold happy memories of Will."

Today, Mary has created a space for more happy moments for herself. She said, "I love the greenhouse because it's somewhere where when it's pouring with rain, I want peace and quiet, I come here."

Sounds heavenly.

Dame Mary Berry is a regular guest at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and, while she looks fantastic at the event every year, her outfit this year might just be one of our favourites. Attending Monday's press day, Mary looked perfectly summery in a timeless polka dot shirt dress. A classic silhouette, when it comes to what to wear to the Chelsea Flower Show, this truly is the embodiment of the style of the event.

Wearing the Sorrento shirt dress by Holland Cooper, its pink, polka-dotted fabric made it the ideal choice for this springtime event. Light and breezy, sophisticated yet playful, the spotty pattern is largely considered the print of the season, and in a shirt dress silhouette, this is a pretty sorbet-shaded dress you can wear on repeat. And not only was the polka dot print directional, but the pastel pink hue is a trending tone this season, too.

Finishing off her look with a practical pair of black ballet flats, a great option if you’re heading to the Chelsea Flower Show yourself and walking amongst its sprawling grounds all day long. Mary wore the Luna shoes by Sole Bliss, which feature the brand’s comfort technology, ideal for the day ahead.

Recreate Mary Berry's Chelsea Flower Show Outfit

If you have tickets for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which runs until Saturday 23rd May, you might have been wondering what to wear, and as the event kicks off, there is set to be a stream of inspiration from our favourite celebrities - which we will be covering here at womanandhome.com. While there is no official dress code, which can make it tricky when selecting a look, seeing what others have worn to the occasion can help you decipher the best attire.

While florals might be the first choice, particularly for a flower show, Mary’s choice of polka dots makes for a great alternative that feels just as timeless. Choosing a shirt dress silhouette, Mary's dress promises lots of versatility, and could easily be dressed up as one of the best wedding guest dresses this season, or down with a blazer and flats for a day in the office.

By opting for a pink dress, Mary played into the soft, blush hues, a big part of this season's fashion colour trends for 2026. Despite its trend-led credentials, Mary's Holland Cooper dress was still a timeless choice that you could pull out again and again.

Dame Mary Berry was presented with the BAFTA Fellowship at Sunday night’s BAFTA TV awards, joining an esteemed list of previous fellows including Elizabeth Taylor, Judi Dench and Laurence Olivier.

Introducing Mary and presenting her with the award, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins made it a Great British Bake Off reunion, speaking about 'instantly falling in love with Bez' (a nickname no one saw coming, perhaps) and describing her as having 'grit, humanity, grace and twinkle'.

While the cooking icon described herself as 'immensely honoured' to be receiving such an accolade, it was her sweet speech dedicated to her family and her son 'who is in heaven' that left viewers with a lump in their throat.

In her speech, Mary said, 'I see myself as a teacher, and television is the biggest and best classroom that there is.'

Leaving audience members, including Claudia Winkleman, looking visibly moved, Mary made a personal thanks to to her family, including her son who died in a car accident in 1989, aged 19.

She said, 'To my husband Paul, who is now 94, he has always supported me and is watching at home.

'To our children, Thomas, William and Annabel - William is in heaven, but I thank him.'

After first introducing her to the stage, Mary joked about 'dear friends' Mel and Sue 'scrubbing up well' and having 'led me astray from day one'.

Mel and Sue were the original hosts of The Great British Bake Off when it first premiered in 2010 on BBC Two. Proving it was the little show that could, Bake Off would, of course, become a national institution.

As well as getting people in love with baking, it introduced a whole new legion of fans to the legendary Dame Mary Berry.

After six years on the BBC, Channel 4 bought the rights to the show - and this change led to a changing of the guard, with Mel, Sue and Mary exiting the series, leaving only Paul Hollywood as the original cast member to continue the legacy.

Mary - who brought elegant glamour in her pale blush ensemble - also used her speech to pay tribute to those who had helped her on her road to becoming the national treasure she is.

'I'm a cook. I'm a teacher... Television wasn’t a part of my childhood. We had our first black-and-white TV when I was 10. One channel: the BBC of course, and it’s been my home for so many of my TV adventures over the years.

'It is the broadcaster that we must cherish. Bake Off came along, and my whole world changed.'

Speaking on the red carpet before the ceremony, Mary described herself as being "very honoured" to be given the accolade.

She said of the fellowship, 'I always think about directors and actors and actresses getting it, so as a cook, I feel very honoured.

'I started off on Collector’s World, in Bristol. I had to make cow’s udder pie and all sorts of Victorian dishes and I didn’t really enjoy that and I moved onto other things. In Bake Off I wanted to get everyone baking and cooking and I think I was quite kind.'

Dame Mary Berry has had a truly remarkable career. And now the former Great British Bake Off judge, who made her TV debut in the 1970s, is being honoured with one of British television’s highest accolades.

Next Sunday (10 May) Mary, now 91, will be presented with the BAFTA Fellowship at this year’s BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises. It’s the British Academy’s most prestigious award and is bestowed in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film or, in Mary’s case, television.

“I couldn’t believe it was true, what a huge honour to be presented with the BAFTA Fellowship,” the chef, food writer and presenter shared.

Mary, who became a Dame in the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 2020 birthday honours, continued, “For over 50 years, I have enjoyed every moment of teaching my passion on television and I thank all the generous professionals along the way who have given me guidance and support - and I am still learning.”

She added, “This amazing BAFTA Fellowship is the icing on cake!”

Meanwhile Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, said, “Dame Mary Berry is a singular talent whose warmth, craft and generosity have helped shape the very best of British television… She has informed, inspired and entertained audiences, setting a new benchmark for factual entertainment, proving that expertise and empathy can draw huge audiences in primetime.”

“The BAFTA Fellowship is our highest honour, and we’re proud to celebrate Mary’s extraordinary legacy.”

The Fellowship will be presented to Mary during the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards, which will be hosted by Greg Davies and will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

She joins a prestigious line-up, with those previously honoured for their work in television including Dame Julie Walters, Sir David Attenborough, former woman&home cover star Joanna Lumley, Meera Syal CBE, Sir Bruce Forsyth and Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

We are used to hearing Dame Mary Berry talk about her successful career in cookery, her traditional marriage to husband Paul Hunnings, and the 'natural health cure' she's found through the joy of gardening.

One thing not usually associated with the national treasure, is the utter excitement she felt at visiting a nightclub in Ibiza - Mary once pushed for an outing to one of the island's most famous clubs while visiting for a wedding.

Mary recalls how "terribly exciting" her evening of clubbing had been, as part of an appearance on the Dish by Waitrose podcast.

While chatting to hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett during a throwback clip of her appearance during season 2 of the podcast, Nick says, "There's a wonderful rumour that Mary Berry went to Ibiza and got right on the tequila."

With a smile and twinkle in her eye, Mary explains that she had been in Ibiza for a wedding. "All the wives had one place we wanted to go to," she says, adding, "and it was Pacha."

A super club, Pacha is one of the most iconic destinations on the island. "The men weren't a bit keen, but they came, Mary explains, adding, "and I can remember thinking, 'This is terribly exciting.'"

Recalling the evening in great detail, Mary continues, "I can remember walking up the steps to Pacha, and then somebody came up and stamped you!," she says with slight incredulity.

"I've never been stamped before," she says, revealing that she did wonder, "will it ever come off?"

"We got inside," Mary continues, adding, "the boys went one way and we went the other, because they didn't really want to be there."

Describing the scale of the club, Mary recalls, "It was like a rabbit warren - it was narrow, with lots of floors and lots of paths, and everybody was drinking."

"It suddenly struck me that if there was a fire, would we ever get out?" she says when remembering just how cavernous the space inside the club felt to her.

"It was good fun," she concludes, adding knowingly, "I know what goes on inside."

Once speaking about her clubbing experience to the Telegraph, Mary also recalls being fascinated by some of the clothes on show in Pacha.

"There was every type of clothing you could imagine: miniskirts; some of them with hardly anything on," she says,

The baking star continues, "The noise was amazing and of course the boys couldn’t stand it. They went outside and waited for us on the stairs, and the girls all hung together inside."

Mary concludes, "We didn’t want to miss a trick."

Dame Mary Berry is such an icon of our time. She's had a lengthy career in cookery and television, and approaching the age of 91, is sharing her love of gardening with the world in the form of her first book that isn't about food.

While we race to get a copy of My Gardening Life and read about the natural health cure Mary has found in tending to her garden, we often think about Bake Off, the series that introduced so many new generations to her brilliance.

One question fans often have in particular, is whether Mary still watches the show after she stepped away in 2016, after the series defected from the BBC to Channel 4.

The national treasure has now given her answer: Mary Berry no longer tunes into Bake Off. But it's for quite an adorable reason.

She's often spoken about her very traditional marriage and love for her husband, and Mary doesn't watch Bake Off anymore because she doesn't want to upset her husband of nearly 60 years, Paul Hunnings.

"I don’t think it’s fair on my husband," Mary tells PA Media, adding, "We’re testing recipes all the time, thinking what’s going in the next book, talking recipes."

"It’s not fair on my husband in the evening to turn on a cooking programme, because he’s seen quite enough of it."

While she doesn't watch Bake Off anymore, Mary does have a penchant for gardening shows. "I’m an avid watcher of BBC Gardeners’ World," she shares.

Mary continues, "There’s nothing that puts me in a better mood than Monty Don welcoming me on a Friday with a huge smile, talking at a slow and steady pace of what he’s up to and what we should be doing at the weekend."

"I’ve been fortunate to have been on the programme and have seen that his dogs just follow their master, which is exactly what our dogs do."

While Mary has only just begun to share her love of gardening with the world, it's actually been a passion of hers since childhood, when she began picking flowers from her family garden to sell at the gate.

She recalls her garden becoming a "great solace," at many points in her life, particularly after the death of her son William, who died in a car crash at the age of 19.

Her current garden contains a bed of sweet williams (Dianthus barbatus) in his memory, and Mary also has a collection of other sentimental plants taken with her from previous properties.

"When we lost William, we were very much in the garden, planning, planting, and lovely friends gave us plants which I brought with me," she shares, concluding, "I still look at them and think of the happy times we had with him."

As she approaches her 91st birthday on March 24, Dame Mary Berry remains unstoppable.

She's written over 70 cookbooks throughout her lengthy career, but has just released her first book about gardening, My Gardening Life.

While modestly maintaining her status as an amateur gardener, spending time in her garden has been a passion of Mary's since childhood. The latest book is a way to share the joy gardening brings, and everything she's learned along the way.

As Mary and husband, 93-year-old Paul, need a little help with their garden in their 10th decade of life, Mary shares that My Gardening Life is dedicated to their gardener of 32 years, Kevin Pryce, who "arrives on the dot at 7.30am every Thursday."

She's recently revealed why having her phone with her when she's tending to her garden is one of her biggest gardening tips, and now, she's revealed the gardening-related "natural health cure" that's a part of her routine.

In conversation with The Telegraph, Mary discusses just how good gardening has been for her mental wellbeing.

She shares that when she's been out all day, "it's not long" before she makes her way to her garden. "It's a place of peace, of solace," she says, adding, "I go out there and feel calm. If something has been worrying me, it gets forgotten about. A weight is lifted."

One the most delightful parts of visiting her garden is picking her own flowers, and putting them on her kitchen table. She asserts this "fills her with joy," explaining, "It's the best natural health cure there is."

Mary is particularly enamoured with roses, calling them "my great joy." Her favourite is "Chandos Beauty," and she loves to sit on an outdoor terrace at her home that's right next to a long bed of roses.

"Even now they're bare, pruned and mulched, I feel such a sense of promise," she shares, adding, "In a few months' time, they'll be absolutely glorious."

She hasn't just stopped at flowers, Mary has also planted some fruit trees in her garden.

After giving her husband "a fresh fruit salad every morning," the presenter thought she'd try her hand at growing pear trees and a peregrine peach tree.

While visiting her garden has become entrenched in her daily routine, as part of her secrets to living longer, Mary has another daily ritual firmly embedded n her daily life - and it's quite different to spending time in her outside space.

The national treasure admits she "swears by" a glass of wine at the end of each day. In conversation with Saga, she says, "The glass has become slightly bigger. I don’t drink until the evening, and then one glass of white will last me."

Perhaps she can combine her daily tipple with her love of roses, and sip her wine from her terrace while admiring her newly bloomed roses in the summer.

It's most likely you'll know Dame Mary Berry for her cooking and baking endeavours, and the reflections she shares on marriage and family life.

However, alongside the passions she's known for, Mary is also a keen gardener and has even written a book about it, My Gardening Life.

With the book full of personal anecdotes and her own words of wisdom, it's easy to see that gardening is clearly something Mary adores as much as her time in the kitchen.

But there's one important rule the national treasure always has in place when she's in the garden - Mary insists on having her phone with her.

In conversation with the Irish Independent, she was sked for the reason behind this, and it's a poignant one.

"Because I'm old," she says, adding, "I can fall. I can trip. Which I have done. Remember your phone because if you do [fall] you can get help. Otherwise, you sit there."

Sharing her thoughts on gardening in more detail, Mary says, "Gardening is all about waiting. Cooking is instant." With gardening, "You have to plan, you have to wait for the carrot."

She continues, "Gardening is long-term. It's like mediation, I suppose. You have to think about it and plan."

"My gardening is all about what I have learned - I'm still learning - and my mistakes."

Mary also expresses an interest in the "trendiness" of vegetables. She's previously spoken out about her vehement dislike of kale, hilariously banning it from her diet and "golden rules" when it comes to staying healthy.

In conversation with Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson during an episode of their Mothers podcast, Mary once said, "I don't go with the trends. I'll promote cabbage or watercress and all those sort of things. I'm not a huge lover of kale. I used to give that to my pony!"

Once again bringing home her dislike of the so-called superfood, Mary tells the Irish Independent, "Yes, everybody loves kale now, but it's not one of my favourite vegetables at all."

She explains that when you can easily get "perfect" cabbage with a knob of butter and some pepper, this begs the question, "why would I want kale?"

Still ruminating on kale, Mary continues, "Kale is like a new vegetable, it's a bit like a sprout. It grows like a sprout, a bit open. I can remember when nobody had butternut squash, I love butternut squash. It's inexpensive, easy to grow and easy to cook."

Mary also recalls that her "first commercial business" at the age of nine, involved gardening and flowers.

When her parents left her alone in the house at this age, she picked flowers from her garden and left them at the gate "for people to admire."

This led to her adding prices to them, eventually making a little money from people buying them on their way past.

However, her parents were cross and "I got a good ticking off," Mary remembers. Her first foray into business and flower selling ended with her parents forcing her to donate her profits to their neighbour across the road who worked for the Red Cross.

Nigella Lawson taking over judging duties on Bake Off has been dominating the news, in the wake of Prue Leith announcing her departure from the long-running baking show.

However, many of the show's fans have been wondering how the dynamic will work between Nigella and existing judge, Paul Hollywood.

The queen of the original series before it migrated from the BBC to Channel 4, still has strong opinions about it - and now Dame Mary Berry has given her verdict on how well she thinks the pair will get on when they work together on the series.

Having worked with Paul when they judged together on Bake Off from the start of the show in 2010 until she decided not to follow it to Channel 4 in 2016, Mary is well placed to deliver an opinion.

In conversation with Radio Times, Mary says she believes Nigella and Paul "will get on like a house on fire."

Adding that she's "absolutely delighted" about Nigella joining the series, Mary continues that their partnership "will give Bake Off a wonderful new flavour."

In response to being asked which qualities a great Bake Off judge needs, Mary says, "The skill to be the judge and to be fair, be kind and encourage everyone to enjoy baking."

It's therefore great news that Nigella has dropped huge hints she's planning to be both kind, and will be encouraging the contestants and viewers watching at home to remain passionate about baking.

She once told Now to Love that she isn't a fan of "mean" cooking shows, sharing that she finds this judging style to be "counterproductive for everyone."

"It makes people at home feel inhibited about cooking too, because they have this persecutory voice in their heads. I couldn’t be part of a programme like that," she explains, concluding, "It doesn’t mean to say you’re not honest, but there’s never a need to be mean."

Although it hasn't been revealed whether Mary has, or is planning to speak to Nigella personally about her new role, she did have a conversation with Prue Leith when she originally joined Bake Off as a judge, allegedly offering a warning about Paul.

According to The Mirror, Prue spoke about the conversation she had with Mary during an appearance on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast.

Prue explained that she phoned Mary to ask her "whether Paul Hollywood was workable with," knowing Mary would "tell me the truth."

Prue says, "She was very interesting, she said 'do you know what? He is so good and he is very good at his job and he knows baking backwards, he's a lovely guy and very friendly and easy to work with'."

It's said that Mary continued, "But, he knows so much and he's so knowledgeable, he doesn't need you at all. You have to just hold your own and push yourself in because he'll just do the show without you."

We're sure Nigella will be able to hold her own in the same way as Prue did, and we can't wait to see her step into her judging shoes when the next series of Bake Off arrives.

After the merriment of Christmas comes the cold, cold January - often a tough month for many, and that might result in a lack of motivation to cook and eat well.

If the cold days and colder nights have you in need of a hearty feast, there are a few great options to consider, including Clodagh McKenna’s winter soup for a light alternative and the surprisingly simple dish Mary Berry says has the "perfect kick" for a winter’s day.

Mary has re-shared her recipe for the most mouth-watering slow-cooked beef casserole with horseradish and mustard that doesn’t need much effort to cook up - and only requires five core ingredients, excluding a few seasonings and thickeners.

Follow Mary’s simple recipe and within a couple of hours, you can have a recipe that transforms a topside joint of beef into a tender, flavour-packed roast with a golden crust - and it goes perfectly with seasonal veg and mash.

Hungry? Thought so. Let’s get on with the recipe…

Starting with the beef, Mary fries around 1.5KG of lean, stewing steak until it’s brown. As it’s a lot of meat, she does it in smaller batches.

Moving it about as it browns, Mary shares that it gives it the extra flavour and seals the meat in.

Once you’ve got the meat nice and brown - and if there’s a crust forming at the bottom of your pot, even better, Mary says - take the meat out, plate it up and leave to one side.

Next, add three roughly chopped onions and six cloves of crushed garlic into the pot you just fried the beef in, and pour in 300ml of beef stock.

Mary thickens the casserole with a mixture of 50g of flour and 300ml of white wine, before adding the meat back in.

For flavour, add three tablespoons of Worcester sauce before leaving the pot on a very low heat and cook until the meat is almost tender, which Mary suggests is about two hours.

After this time, add in 300 grams of chestnut mushrooms and leave to simmer for another 30 minutes.

The real trick and Mary’s secret ingredient for a kick that is "perfect for a winter’s day" is what comes next - a mixture of three tablespoons each of Dijon mustard and horseradish cream. Add it to the pot as it finishes simmering.

When you’re ready to serve, plate alongside a hearty dollop of mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

If there's anyone whose advice is worth taking when it comes to cooking, baking and all things kitchen related, it's Dame Mary Berry.

And this year, fans can watch A Mary Berry Christmas for a whole host of tips and recipes from the Bake Off icon - although prepare yourselves for things to get a little cheeky thanks to guest Zoe Ball.

Here, Mary shares even more helpful advice for a stress-free dinner this Christmas.

1. Getting ahead

I do an awful lot of preparing in advance over the festive season. I start by making my list of who’s visiting and how many meals I’ll need to make. Then I list all the meals over Christmas and what ingredients I’ll need. I make a timetable for the week before and see how many things I can do ahead.

2. Turkey time

My top tip for the perfect roast turkey is not to overcook it. Roast it and, near the end of the cooking time, put a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, and the juices should run clear. When they do, it’s done. Don’t overcook it.

3. Crispy roast potatoes

If you know you are going to be pushed on Christmas Day, then it is possible to half-roast the potatoes the day before. On Christmas Day the potatoes just need to be re-roasted in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.

4. Perfect gravy

There’s nothing like a good gravy. I use giblets, but use a stock cube if you prefer. Melt a quarter cup of butter, add half a cup of flour and combine to make a roux.

In goes the hot stock, a little at a time, and give it a good beat in between. Skim off the fat from the juices of the bird and pour it in. Season with a little pepper and salt and a dash of Worcestershire sauce to deepen the flavour. Then bring it to the boil. And that’s it!

5. The leftovers

You know how you do cauliflower cheese? All those vegetables with a wonderful cheesy sauce, and grated cheese on top are lovely a couple of days after Christmas. And you can also add them to the stock that you’ve made from the turkey bones.

6. A delicious canapé

I make smoked salmon canapés, and do this the day before I plan to serve them.

I start with a light rye bed and slice it into little pieces. If you don’t use all of the loaf, put the rest in the freezer. Then spread the bread with a full-fat cream cheese and put smoked salmon on top.

Sometimes I put some prawns on top of the salmon. I then put them on the serving plate, cover it with cling film and keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve it, just add a squeeze of lemon to the top.

7. Tinned custard

It’s the best type of custard for trifle making, and then I make it more luxurious by putting whipped cream in it.

But this recipe won’t break the bank; you can use some leftover pear juice and berries to make the trifle - or orange juice.

With Christmas just around the corner, Dame Mary Berry is on hand to make things nice, sharing some of her favourite recipes, from pigs in blanket cassoulet to a pear and ginger steamed pudding.

However, her guest on the show, presenter and DJ Zoe Ball, couldn’t help but make things a little naughty, wondering just what Mary Berry's husband enjoys "very, very hot" and "frequently" from the legendary chef and baker.

Before anyone blushes too much, they are, of course, only talking about hot chocolate. What else?

The moment is taken from a hilarious sneak peek of A Mary Berry Christmas, available to watch from 9pm on December 17 on BBC One and iPlayer. Not in the UK? Here's how to watch A Mary Berry Christmas from anywhere in the world.

In the clip, Mary and Zoe are shown enjoying "a wonderfully indulgent hot chocolate." As Mary describes her husband’s love of hot chocolate, she explains to Zoe how their day "is punctuated with it over the winter."

It "starts off with 9:30 in the morning, then comes elevenses, and sure enough at tea time, yet another."

When Zoe asks how he has it, Mary replies, "He has it quite strong and very, very hot. And frequently."

"You are talking about the hot chocolate there, Mary, aren’t you?" before flashing a cheeky smile.

It takes Mary a second to realise what she means, and her shocked reaction is priceless. "Well, that’s quite enough of that", Mary responds.

Fans will love to hear how Mary and her husband, 93-year-old Paul Hunnings indulge themselves at Christmas.

Mary has previously described how she now prepares "special meals" for him now that he is "very frail" so a little - or in this case, frequent! - treats are most definitely deserved.

The duo - who have worked together before, with Mary appearing on Zoe’s former BBC Radio 2 show frequently to dish out cooking tips and more - laugh and joke throughout their segment together.

As Mary starts to serve the winter warmer, Zoe makes a comment about the hot chocolate being something the little ones will enjoy, Mary wastes no time with a swift comeback. "Blow the little ones", she jokes, "We’re going to enjoy it."

Well, quite, Dame Mary. Why should the kids get all the fun at Christmastime?

The funny duo showcased their personalities perfectly, with Zoe right out of the gate topping her hot chocolate with so much whipped cream Mary couldn’t help responding with "Oh, for goodness sake!"

Mary chooses to top her hot chocolate with a subtle sprinkling of nutmeg and a little bit of extra chocolate.

Zoe isn’t the only guest celebrating with Mary for the special this year. Gavin & Stacey actress Alison Steadman and Gladiators star Harry 'Nitro' Aikines-Aryeetey join the Bake Off legend as she celebrates her 90th year in what the BBC commissioning editor described in a press release as "a must-see special Christmas treat."

Dressing up in our favourite Christmas party outfits and New Year’s Eve looks is always fun, but realistically most of us spend more time in snuggly jumpers and jeans this time of year. Warmth and style can be a tricky combination to nail with an outfit and Dame Mary Berry mastered it last year with a shearling-focused beach outfit.

For a day cooking with Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse on the beach in cold weather in the BBC’s Mary Makes Christmas, she wrapped up warm in a cream borg jacket, shearling-lined combat boots, jeans and a grey bobble hat. Faux fur coats are back in a big way in 2025 as a winter coat trend and yet borg and shearling options are easier to style.

Shop Borg Jackets Like Mary's

Complete The Look

They’re more relaxed, so you can wear them during the day like Mary did without worrying about looking over-dressed. Going for paler borg jackets makes the gorgeous texture of the material stand out more, and her white coat felt extra wintery.

Whilst jewel tones and dark colours are popular for the season, winter whites are a lovely, bright alternative and conjure up visions of snow. Mary Berry layered her jacket over a vibrant turquoise crew neck jumper and indigo skinny jeans.

Because the cosy borg jacket is so neutral, it balanced out the boldness of her knitwear and even if you’re typically a fan of looser denim styles, it’s worth having a streamlined option. They’re easier to tuck into everything from knee-high boots to ankle boots.

Mary’s footwear was almost in between these two lengths, rising to high above her ankle. These are the same boots recently worn by presenter Helen Skelton - the Anglesey Combat Boots from Fairfax & Favor. Made from leather, they have a lace-up front and side zips for ease.

Though perhaps the best thing about them is something that isn’t obvious at first glance. Mary Berry’s combat boots are lined with genuine shearling to make them extra warm and so it’s no wonder she wore them when she and Oti were at Camber Sands beach.

Her shoes are the chocolate nubuck design and not only is brown a very on-trend colour right now, it’s also a softer alternative to black. Since her winter jacket was a lighter hue, choosing black boots might have been a bit stark and brown ones complemented it better.

The grey bobble hat was an equally pared-back finishing touch and Mary’s fondness for borg and shearling meant that she went for a very similar jacket when she needed more freedom of movement for cooking. During the same episode of Mary Makes Christmas, we saw the queen of baking swap into a white borg gilet.

Like her jacket it was snug-looking and classic. Something like this is great for wearing underneath coats as an extra layer, or popping on when it’s milder or if you’re only going to be outside briefly. For a frosty walk, I’d pick a full borg jacket like Mary’s every time and this 2024 outfit is such an easy one to replicate in winter.

Where would our winter capsule wardrobes be without knitwear? Whether you’ve invested in the best cashmere jumpers or love affordable pieces, one thing we can all agree on is how useful sweaters and cardigans are as an outfit staple.

They keep us warm and can be dressed down or up with everything from jeans to leather trousers and skirts. However, knitwear doesn’t only mean tops and Mary Berry has just got me wondering why I’ve never matched my jumpers and scarves before.

She did this for promotional pictures and a video for her upcoming series, A Mary Berry Christmas. The queen of baking styled a snowy-white, crew-knit with a matching chunky scarf, which she looped round her neck.

Recreate Mary's Cosy Outfit

Both the jumper and scarf had ribbed detailing on the ends and appeared like they could’ve been part of a set. I wasn’t sold on the scarfigan trend (designs that combine scarfs and cardigans) earlier this year and Mary clearly isn’t a fan of it either.

Her way of styling a coordinating jumper and scarf is much more versatile, as you can wear them separately as well as together. There is something about how perfectly they go together, though, that made her simple jeans-and-a-jumper ensemble feel very elegant and cohesive.

Even small amounts of coordination within an outfit can have a big impact and Mary Berry’s choice of a white scarf and sweater was clever. If she’d picked a brighter colour like festive red, the two pieces would have been very bold when worn together and might have been trickier to style separately with other outfits too.

The pale tone also allowed the soft texture of the knitwear to really show up. The food writer paired them with indigo jeans and left the jumper draped over the top to create a relaxed silhouette.

When you’re styling oversized knitwear I think it works best to lean into the casualness with the rest of your clothing. We sadly couldn’t see Mary’s shoes (perhaps we will when A Mary Berry Christmas airs on 17th December), though I would have finished this look off with flat ankle boots or white trainers to tie in with the scarf and jumper.

If winter whites are never going to be your go-to colour palette for the season, I’d recommend picking out a scarf and jumper in another neutral colour you wear all the time and styling them similarly to Mary, with jeans. To make a chic statement if you’re venturing outside in the cold, why not layer over a coat in the same colour to tie everything in together?

She appeared to be inside, with a very festively decorated backdrop, in the video and pictures so a coat wasn’t necessary for her. The scarf was there to help keep her extra cosy as well as bringing a fashionable flourish - and she often does this with her outfits.

When Mary appeared on chef Angela Hartnett and broadcaster Nick Grimshaw’s Dish podcast in December 2022 she wore a rose-pink jumper with a pastel lilac and pink leopard print scarf. Whilst this wasn’t an exact match like her white ones, she clearly loves a coordinated scarf/knitwear look.

We all know how elegant a head-to-toe black ensemble can be and they’re some of the most versatile to style. Deep down we also know they’re not perhaps the most exciting looks we can put together from our winter capsule wardrobe staples.

However, with a bright blazer and some statement jewellery, Mary Berry has shown that you can transform an all-black outfit into something just as wearable and a lot more fun. She attended the launch of Cicoria by Angela Hartnett in September wearing a pink blazer covered with tiny stars with a black top and trousers.

Pastel pinks have been a big autumn/winter fashion colour trend for 2025, but the colour of Mary’s jacket was far more vibrant.

Shop Pink Blazers

Shop Statement Necklaces

No matter what she’d have worn, the blazer would be the literal star of the show, so choosing black clothing leaned into this. It sounds simple - and that’s because it is - but if you’re ever unsure how to wear bright colours, the easiest way is to go entirely neutral with the rest of your outfit.

It helps to balance things out and the femininity of the pink blazer worked well with Mary’s very minimal top and trousers. This was a sophisticated, grown-up way to wear rose-pink and the baking legend added a chunky faux pearl necklace.

Like her jacket, there’s no way you couldn’t notice this piece of jewellery as it’s very bold and structured. Even if you love wearing dainty items day-to-day, it’s worth having at least one statement, affordable jewellery option in your collection.

They instantly jazz up a plain outfit and the size of the pearl-esque beads on Mary’s necklace made it feel modern and sculptural. Chunky gold or silver necklaces would also work well with an all-black outfit and a vivid jacket.

Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter what the shade is or which element is bringing the pop of colour to an outfit. You could go for bright boots or a bag instead of a blazer and it would still offset the neutrality of the rest of your ensemble.

Mary Berry’s look was very beautiful, though, and the addition of the necklace as well as her rose-pink blazer gave it a fashion-forward edge. She wore it to a launch, though something like this wouldn’t look out of place at a party or date night.

The acclaimed cookery writer also loves wearing this blazer with other colourful designs as well as black clothing. In July last year Mary brought it with her to Wimbledon when she attended in a patterned shirt dress. It was seen draped carefully over her arm as she arrived at the club.

It just goes to show that just because a piece is more "out-there" doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot of wear out of it in different ways if you pick a colour that you love.

There are some pieces that we only wear at certain times of year like Christmas jumpers or beach coverups and others - like double denim - which can always be re-styled to suit the season. If you’re forever reaching for jeans and a blazer, a denim jacket can be a lovely alternative.

Wearing matching items naturally makes an outfit feel put-together and Mary Berry just showed that denim jackets and jeans can be far more elegant than you might imagine. She wore a deep indigo jacket and jeans in episode one of her new BBC show, Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking.

Of course, you don’t have to perfectly coordinate the washes when you’re wearing double denim but doing so like she did adds another level of cohesion. Mary’s jacket was by Monsoon and there’s still one size left of the £35.50 Louisa frilled design.

Recreate Mary's Outfit

The frilled detailing on the collar and subtly puffed sleeves gave this piece a feminine edge and a delicacy that worked so well as part of a statement double denim ensemble. Dark blue tones have been a big denim trend this year and it often looks smarter than lighter washes, so if you prefer elevated casual outfits this is the colour palette to stick to.

Dame Mary took things a step further and opted for indigo straight-leg jeans too. Together they felt like a more relaxed take on a classic tailored suit. Whilst you can of course reach for skinny jeans, I personally feel like double denim works better with looser silhouettes if your jacket is fitted and vice versa.

It just breaks things up a bit more and adds contrast. You can also do this by mixing and matching lighter and darker shades of denim together.

Episode 1 of Mary at 90 was clearly filmed in warmer weather, so the queen of baking didn’t need to think about autumn outfit ideas and paired her jeans and jacket with a white and turquoise floral top from Libelula and blue trainers. Because denim can work all year round, all you’d need to do to make a look like hers more seasonally appropriate is change the top and footwear.

Ankle boots would look great with this outfit, as would a fitted jumper, and another bonus you get with denim is that it can be treated as a neutral. It goes with everything, so you can enjoy styling jeans and jackets with a variety of different tops and be confident you’ll look chic.

If your denim jacket is more oversized or slouchy than Mary Berry’s, a chunkier jumper or cardigan will look great underneath. I’d personally recommend a fitted design as this means you can easily layer both under and over it, given a denim jacket won’t be warm enough on its own in the depths of winter.

However you style it, a double denim outfit is comfortable, easy to wear and yet looks like loads of time and effort went into crafting your look. Dame Mary Berry showed this on her new series and she knows a thing or two about fashion as well as baking and cooking!

Mary Berry’s brand-new series (which begins tonight) Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking, isn’t only on hand to inspire us in the kitchen; the iconic baker and chef also delivers the ultimate autumn outfit inspiration too. Often applauded for her strong sense of style, we can't wait to watch Mary's new show, both for the cakes and the ensembles.

Starting bold in hot pink, Mary proved exactly why the unexpected shade is one of the biggest autumn/winter fashion colour trends for 2025. Eye-catching and unmissable in the bright colour, Mary proved that it can work for even the most casual of outfits with her oversized, relaxed-fit knitted jumper.

Rolled-up sleeves might have been a practical touch while cooking up a storm in the kitchen, but the styling trick also played into the slouchy, relaxed feel of the sweater, and this is a colourway that works brilliantly with neutrals such as cream, beige or navy, and works brilliantly with jeans too.

Shop Bold Pink Knitwear

Mary's look is a great reminder that it's easier than you think to incorporate trending shades into your autumn outfits, with a simple knit like hers being on hand to easily introduce that pop of stylish colour into any outfits you put together this season.

While we didn’t get a glimpse of the rest of Mary’s outfit, her hot pink jumper is a super versatile piece and can work alongside any of your favourite autumn capsule wardrobe staples.

Whether you’re keeping things casual in your favourite denim jeans and best white trainers, or want to create a more elevated outfit with a satin midi skirt and pair of trendy loafers, a bright jumper is the perfect way of adding a trending colour to your wardrobe.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have never concealed their competitive natures in public and particularly when sport is involved, the couple are always keen to beat each other. So much so, that the future King and Queen don’t think they’ve "ever actually managed to finish" a tennis match as it becomes a "mental challenge".

However, things are a little more clear cut when it comes to cooking. Prince William is always quick to praise Kate’s abilities in the kitchen and lament his own culinary skills, admitting that cooking isn’t really his forte. Baking, though, might be another story…

According to the Prince of Wales himself, he learnt "everything he knows" from none other than the Queen of Baking herself, Dame Mary Berry.

Now she’s opened up about how it felt to hear those words when he recorded a special 90th birthday message for her in March. The message was introduced by Alex Jones on BBC’s The One Show and she said it was "from somebody very special who says that you’ve taught him everything he knows about baking."

Prince William then appeared on screen as an astonished Mary looked on, and wished her happy birthday and dubbed her a "true national treasure".

"I had to bite my lip, because you feel, ‘Oh, goodness gracious me!’" Mary recently told Saga. "I was totally overcome. I thought, ‘I must hold myself together.’ I mean, to see Prince William on the screen saying that I’d taught him all he knew about cooking… well!"

This was high praise indeed from the senior royal and it clearly meant a lot to her. It seems Kate and Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have Mary to thank for any sweet treats made by Prince William.

Whilst the Prince has been open about his cooking mishaps, his baking skills were praised back in February when he and Kate helped roll out some Welsh Cakes during a visit to Pontypridd.

As reported by Sky News, Madison Conner, the daughter of The Welsh Cake Shop owner, said, "I asked them if they had made Welsh cakes and they said they had never actually made them before. They were surprisingly good, they both were, you could tell they were good bakers."

As well as seemingly having some baking skills, the dad-of-three also has some specific requirements when it comes to one moreish treat. Everyone has their own favourite recipe for chocolate brownies but in his view, there shouldn’t be walnuts.

The Prince and Princess of Wales spoke about this rule when they joined the WI for tea on the anniversary of the late Queen Elizabeth’s death in September. As he sampled a brownie, William asked the woman who made them, "Do you put nuts in them?"

After hearing she didn’t, he replied, "Never put nuts in a brownie", making Kate laugh.

"I had to learn the hard way," the Princess declared knowingly.

Dame Mary Berry has been married to her husband, Paul Hunnings, for 59 years. After so many years together, Mary has recently been reflecting on their decades-long union, and the ways in which she returns to the vows they made to keep their marriage strong.

At the age of 90, the food writer and television star has achieved so much in her life, and will soon be returning to our screens with the BBC series, Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking.

Mary also has a book currently available to commemorate her 90th birthday year, named Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes. Having enjoyed both a lengthy career and equally long and successful marriage, Mary has been reflecting on both in the run up to her celebratory show and the release of her book.

In conversation with Radio Times, the baking guru reveals that her 93-year-old husband has 'mellowed' in recent years, showing her more appreciation than he perhaps once did.

Mary remains traditional in her approach to caring for Paul. "I look after him, and it’s a great pleasure," she says, adding, "that’s what I promised to do. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. And we are very happy in our dotage."

Mary also shares how she's learned to deal with marital arguments over time. "If any disagreements come up, I open the back door and just go out and maybe pick some flowers or get some apples," she says.

"It’s amazing if you can walk away," she adds. Her husband might not share this idea however, as Mary continues, "Paul always says that the secret to our long marriage is his saying, ‘Yes, dear’ to everything, and then going his own way."

She does however suggest that it doesn't matter too much that their opinions on this matter might differ, because they don't fall out very often.

It was the same positive attitude that helped Mary during the darkest time of her life, when she lost her son William in a car crash in 1989, when he was just 19-years-old.

"I think of William every day. Of course I do," she says, adding, "I’m still very proud of him."

Alongside William, Mary has two other children. She shares how blessed she feels to have her family, despite living with loss. "I’ve got two more children, Annabel and Tom, and my grandchildren," she says.

"I mean, it would be devastating if you only had one child. I am very fortunate," she concludes.

She might be best known as the Queen of Baking, but Dame Mary Berry’s signature style is nothing short of regal too. Like the royals, she’s often spotted wearing the best British clothing brands and wore a gorgeous turquoise and white Lalage Beaumont dress on Wimbledon Day 5.

Mary sat in the Royal Box on Centre Court to watch the tennis and her dress suited its smart dress code. Crafted from 100% silk, this Naomi design has a fitted waist that flares out into an elegant A-line skirt.

It falls to just below the knee and features a smart, turn-back collar and elbow-length sleeves with notched cuffs. This coverage gives it a modest, elegant feel that’s ideal if you’re wondering what to wear to Wimbledon or other smarter occasions like garden parties or weddings.

Recreate Mary Berry's Look

Although the dress comes in a variety of different shades and prints, Dame Mary opted for the bright turquoise and ivory colourway. It has what the brand describes as a Batik-style print running all over the vibrant background tone.

The pattern is free-flowing and incorporates botanical motifs in a very different way to the floral frock designs we often see at this time of year. I love the balance of the vibrant turquoise and the subtle white and as well as being a highlight of Wimbledon fashion, Mary’s dress showcases this trendy 2025 colour combination.

Both the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte wore turquoise and white to Trooping the Colour in June, marking a return to the matching outfits they used to love. These ensembles made such a statement and were a little different to the navy and white they chose last year.

The Duchess of Edinburgh then went on to wear a variation of this - sea-green and white - at an engagement a few weeks later. Blue and white in general is always a very popular pairing for summer, but turquoise just brightens things up a little without making it any less versatile.

It’s always a good idea if you’re worrying about how to wear a pattern, to pick a design which has a neutral colour in there somewhere. The white detailing on Mary Berry’s dress means that white accessories and outwear would complement it perfectly.

Instead, she went for pale beige block heeled court shoes and a matching crossbody bag that she wore draped over her shoulder. These also worked well with the turquoise and white Naomi dress and the Princess of Wales wore high heels in a similar colour at Trooping the Colour.

Turquoise is such a fun and statement hue that I’d recommend going for neutral accessories to mellow it a little. Dame Mary looked so put-together and sophisticated at Wimbledon and because of the hot weather she didn’t need to add anything else to her outfit.

On a cooler day, a white blazer or even a white denim jacket would be good layering pieces. Day-to-day, a turquoise and white dress, top or skirt can be made more casual with white trainers thanks to their sporty edge.

For Wimbledon it’s understandable that Mary went smarter and she attended the tennis alongside her daughter Annabel, who wore darker blue and white. Both looks were beautiful, but the brighter combination has to be my favourite.

Mary Berry's turkey hack for creating a perfectly succulent Christmas feast has been revealed - and people are divided by this quirky tip from the baker. 

As December 25th approaches, many have already nailed some of the best Christmas tree decorating ideas but, they are still trying to figure out the essential Christmas hosting tips so they can ensure the big day goes without a hitch. If you're hosting a big crowd this Christmas, you may want to hear Mary Berry's turkey hack that bizarrely involves a tatty old sleeping bag...

Dame Mary Berry, the former host of The Great British Bake Off, appeared with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Harnett on Waitrose’s podcast, Dish. During this podcast, the chef revealed her plans this Christmas with her family. "I really love Christmas and I’ve done a few Christmasses in my time," said Mary. "This Christmas we’re going to our daughter’s, (Annabel) and she’s said what we’re all doing - I’m doing the turkey."

The chef then spoke about how she cooks her perfect turkey. "I roast the turkey at home, and I’ve learned not to overcook it. So many times, even I have overcooked it," she said. "This time I’m cooking it without foil, I shall cover it with foil once it’s done, and then I shall put some tea towels over the top."

Mary then revealed her bizarre hack for ensuring the turkey is perfectly cooked. "I’ve got an old sleeping bag that’s got no zip and I put that over the top in the corner of the kitchen and then I shall take that in the back of the car to Annabel’s," she said

"Why not!" said Mary when she was questioned about this unusual decision. "Once you take it [turkey] out of the oven, it goes on cooking,” Mary added. “And so you want to insulate that." The chef then added, "I shall pop it in the back of the car inside its sleeping bag and we’ll be having drinks and lots of jollity until we need to carve it."

While this hack may seem quite bizarre, some people can see the genius behind this trick and many have suggested that they will do the same thing to ensure that their turkey retains heat and moisture. 

When Mary's trick was discussed on ITV's Lorraine, Alison Hammond said she wanted to give it a go. "Obviously I’m going to wash the sleeping bag first, but I’m going to try this," she said. 

Mary Berry has a whole website dedicated to her Christmas recipes and has shared a number of tips about how to cook a perfect turkey. 

"I use a meat thermometer when cooking this as it helps to judge when the turkey is done. Cook it to an internal temperature of 75C-80C rather than the 90C suggested on the thermometer gauge, though. When working out when to put the turkey in the oven, allow at least 30 minutes resting time," said Mary. The chef also advises using fresh lemons and fresh sprigs of thyme to enhance the flavors of the turkey.  

With some fresh ingredients and an old sleeping bag, your turkey should be perfect this festive season!

Baking icon Dame Mary Berry has revealed that she's taken up a very sweet hobby, in a bid to get fit after she broke her hip.

The TV presenter, 87, told the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine that doctors warned her if she didn't start some form of exercise that she would 'probably be dead in four years.'

Mary, who stunned fans with this tropical dress at Wimbledon last month, went on to say that she took up croquet with her husband in a bid to regain her fitness.

Dame Mary told the Mail, "My GP told me, 'You’ve two options. You could sit in a chair and do no exercise and quite probably be dead in four years, or you can set to, walk (uphill too!) and do everything you can, and it’ll take 18 months for a full recovery”.

The baking legend broke her hip last year while gardening, and after recovering from surgery she went on to explain her new hobby, "We’ve just taken up croquet. I’ve never played a sport with my husband before because he says I have no ball sense."

The former Bake Off presenter who helped announce the winning Jubilee pudding earlier this year also said, "My husband used to play rugby for Saracens, and tennis and squash, but now he’s 90 he can’t. But croquet is perfect for people our age. We play for two hours and he says he’s knackered at the end but after a bit of a zizz he perks up again."

The legend of the culinary world, who presented Bake Off for six years, was finally given this honour at Windsor Castle last year. Prince Charles awarded her Dame Commander for her lifetime of cooking, writing and baking.

Despite leaving the Bake Off in 2016, Mary will present a new BBC baking show later this year - which shows her travelling to some of her favourite locations across the UK to meet others who come together over food, as part of family celebrations, to bring communities and generations together, and as the pinnacle of summer festivals and events.

Dame Mary Berry said about the show: “Sharing recipes is always an utter joy for me and this series is the ultimate guide, whether you are cooking for a crowd or just for two. I'm loving visiting some spectacular parts of the country at extraordinary events, gatherings and beautiful locations for this new series.

"I have always believed there is no better way to spend time with family and friends than over fresh home cooked food - and now more than ever that feels so important.”

Prince George's birthday will take place on Friday July 22, 2022, when the young Prince will turn 9 years old. The Duchess of Cambridge's adorable traditions for this special occasion have been revealed.

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's eldest son will be turning 9 on July 22.
• Prince George's birthday is a huge cause for celebration in the Cambridge household, and Duchess Catherine has a unique way of celebrating this event.
• In other royal news, Prince William’s fans accuse Prince Harry of copy and pasting brother’s speech.

Some might expect that when royals celebrate their birthday they can expect lavish gifts, luxurious celebrations, and expensive culinary delights. But for Prince George, his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have taken a far more down-to-earth approach to celebrating the future King's birthday.

It has been revealed that rather than ordering a luxurious cake, the Duchess of Cambridge prefers to make her children a homemade birthday cake and enjoys staying up late at night so that they are surprised in the morning. 

The sweet reason Kate Middleton stays up late ahead of her children's birthday was revealed in 2019. Catherine told Mary Berry during the chef's festive show, A Berry Royal Christmas, "I love making the cake." The Duchess explained, "It's become a bit of a tradition that I stay up 'til midnight with ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing and I make far too much. But I love it."

Cooking is one of Kate Middleton's hobbies that she has passed on to her children who made their mother a cake in return for Mother's Day.

In March 2021, Prince William and Kate shared an image of the Victoria Sponge cake that had been decorated by their children with pipe cleaners shaped into hearts, hundreds and thousands, and smarties. It is clear that in the Cambridge household, cake is rather important and homemade baked goods are a sweet tradition that the clan prefers over high-end luxury items.

Just a couple of weeks ago Prince William and Kate's adorable summer holiday plans with George, Charlotte, and Louis were revealed as the family was spotted flying away from Kensington Palace and heading on holiday. This means that Prince George will be celebrating his 9th birthday with his family on holiday, most likely at Balmoral Castle.

In celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, it was announced that there would be a Jubilee pudding competition to encourage royal fans to get creative and bake a delicious pudding that could be made by people across the country to celebrate the Queen's 70-year reign. 

Judges Mary Berry and Duchess Camilla teamed up to decide on the winning pudding, and the duo selected a lemon swiss roll and amaretti trifle as the winning dessert.

While this may sound like a delicious pudding that shouldn't be too tricky to put together, this pudding is NOT to be trifled with. I made this trifle from scratch and if I'm being frank, I finally understand why everyone on Bake Off is so stressed out all the time.

Here's how I found the baking process, from start to finish, with tips and tricks so that you can avoid my disasters and make a delicious jubilee trifle fit for a Queen. 

Give yourself a whole day to make it

I know it sounds mad to tell people to take an entire day to make a trifle, but if you're making it all from scratch, trust me you're going to need it!

I don't know why the official BBC recipe says you only need just 'over two hours' when really it's more like six hours of prep, and three more hours of cooking, cooling, and panicking. My best guess is that the chef, Jemma Melvin, is probably a more experienced baker than me and she possesses skills most of us can only dream of. I, on the other hand, am a wannabe baker whose only credentials are that I've watched every season of Bake Off and I made a few good loaves of banana bread during lockdown. 

Nonetheless, I did manage to successfully make the trifle, so if I've not already turned you off and you're baking skills are as basic as mine, don't be afraid! You can do this. The trifle is not super hard to make, it just requires time and concentration. 

This is because you are not simply making a trifle, you are making a swiss roll, the curd to go inside the roll, a St Clements jelly, mandarin coulis, lemon custard, amaretti biscuits, and some orange peel covered white chocolate bark (as well as whipping cream), so there's a lot to do!

The steps you can skip (and you should!)

The lemon curd that I made looked really really gross (see above) while I was cooking it, however, the end result was delicious and it was by far the best lemon curd I've ever had. Once it was spread in the swiss roll and became part of the trifle I couldn't tell how good it was so maybe make extra just to spread on your toast. If you are looking to cut corners, buy the lemon curd and spread it in your swiss roll. 

Better yet, buy a pre-made lemon curd swiss roll. You really aren't enjoying this roll as a stand-alone cake so the effort, in my opinion, isn't really worth it.

Amaretti biscuits are another good thing to buy pre-made. Ground almonds are expensive and what I made was nice (ish) but I could have saved myself the trouble and just bought some in the shop. 

You can also just buy an orange-flavored jelly for the trifle instead of making the St Clements jelly. The jelly is tasty but it required gelatine leaves and a lot of fresh fruit juice. In comparison, jelly from the shops costs far less and tastes just as nice once in the trifle.

In contrast, I would advise bakers to make the mandarin coulis as it's super easy, the lemon custard is good too, and the chocolate bark is also easy, and makes the trifle look like a real showstopper - definitely worth the effort.

Cook the amaretti biscuits for longer than you think

The recipe says to cook the biscuits for 15-20 minutes, I took them out at 17 and this was not enough. The biscuits I made were good but they were chewy and not really ameretti-like. I would also say they expanded more than I expected so don't be afraid to only put very small portions on the baking tray. 

Even though they were underbaked they were still delicious, but as I mentioned previously, this is definitely a step you can skip by buying premade amaretti at the shop.

Put the jelly on the swiss roll ASAP

The first steps are about making the swiss roll and the jelly. Once you've completed them my advice is to get them assembled and in the fridge ASAP. 

It'll take a while to make the other parts of the trifle and the jelly needs three hours to cool and set so you can assemble the rest. If you get the jelly and swiss roll layers cooling, you'll have at least three hours to make the other parts and let them cool before you assemble. 

Side note: it's heartbreaking to pour jelly all over the lovely swiss roll you just spent ages making and I was fully expecting a soggy mess, but when I ate the trifle it wasn't at all!

Do not boil the custard!

This sounds completely obvious but by the time I got round to making the custard I was losing my marbles, just a bit! It was 2pm by this point, I had a barbecue at 5pm and I just wanted the custard to finish cooking so I could start drinking.

I made the fatal error of turning up the temperature on the hob and despite my constant stirring, my lemon custard quickly became scrambled. I immediately turned down the heat but it was not salvageable. I tried to reason that even though the lemon curd looked awful it tasted good, but this was not the case with the custard.

The curd had lumps of butter that just needed to melt, but these custard lumps were either made of cooked cream or egg, or a combination of both, and they were disgusting. 

The scrambled custard had to be thrown out and a little piece of my soul went into the bin with it. I rallied and made the custard again really taking my time with the second batch. It takes a while for the mixture to thicken, but a lumpy custard is a friend to no one. 

With medium heat and constant attention, I succeeded the second time around and wow, homemade custard really is delicious.

The end result...

Once I assembled the final components and made the chocolate bark (which is super easy and particularly delicious) I topped the pudding with whipped cream and took it to a barbecue where it was devoured in minutes.

My family and friends loved the pudding and after hours of work, I was pretty happy with the end result. It's not too sweet but rich and delicious. The elements work perfectly together and it tastes super dreamy on a hot day.

My final thoughts

I really enjoyed the end result but I am a bit confused as to why this pudding was picked. 

The recipe encourages fans to 'use ready-made versions for most of the components' which seems a bit pointless. I can't help but think that a dessert that's easier to make, like a victoria sponge with a twist, would have been far easier to make and more widely consumed by the public.

Coronation chicken was the dish that was expected to be made and eaten at street parties for the Queen's coronation and even though there were still issues with post-war rationing this dish is still eaten today and is far easier to make than the Platinum Jubilee pudding. 

Only those with a large disposable income and a lot of time on their hands will be able to make this pudding from scratch. Even when not made from scratch, this isn't a cheap dish to pull together.

If you do make the pudding, you'll certainly enjoy the results but it's a lot of work and you will most certainly need a large (and strong) gin and tonic at the end of it!

The winning pudding for The Queen's Platinum jubilee has been announced - and it was made by an amateur baker. 

The dessert, which will be the official pudding for the celebration is a Lemon Swiss Roll and Amaretti trifle - made by baking enthusiast Jemma Melvin. Jemma, 31, said she was shocked to win the Queen's Pudding Competition, which was announced in January, and thought she wouldn't make it to the final, let alone win the whole competition. 

The competition, which was open to bakers nationwide, was a bid to find a dessert to celebrate the monarch's 70-year reign.  

Celebrating her win at Fortum and Mason's she admitted, “It was my friend Sammy who actually sent me the link to apply for the competition and I just thought I might as well go for it, get my name in the hat."

“I didn’t think I’d go any further but I made it to the final 50, made it to the final five, and now my pudding has been chosen. It’s ridiculous.”

While she revealed that the trifle, which has various layers of lemon curd, swiss rolls, custard and jelly is a tribute to three women -  her Gran, Nan and the Queen.

The baker added, “My Grandma taught me to bake, she taught me all the elements, everything from scratch. My Nan’s signature dish was always a trifle; we used to call her the queen of trifles. And the Queen had lemon posset at her wedding.”

The Duchess of Cornwall and Dame Mary Berry joined forces to announce the winning pudding on BBC show The Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years in the Baking.

The idea behind the competition was to create a special pudding to commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Similar to how coronation chicken (which was served when the Queen started her reign) became a popular dish - they're hoping to do the same with a new pudding.

Over 5,000 people submitted their puddings, with 50 making it to the short list. Buckingham Palace’s head chef then helped to whittle it down to five finalists.

Her recipe will now be available for everyone to copy - so expect to tuck into the amazing sounding trifle at your street party.

Kate Middleton’s apparent “rejection” of Prince William’s romantic gesture during a TV appearance was branded “awkward” by some fans, while others rushed to defend her “professionalism”.

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Dame Mary Berry for a very special TV appearance back in 2019 but one particular moment hasn’t gone unnoticed. 
• Fans spotted Prince William making a rare romantic gesture towards his wife though the Duchess seemed to “reject” this as she “moved quickly” away. 
• This royal news comes as Buckingham Palace announces the Queen has Covid but will 'continue light duties at Windsor' this week. 

Kate Middleton was dubbed “Children’s Princess” when earlier this month it was announced she would read a bedtime story on BBC children’s channel, Cbeebies. This TV venture came after Kate stole the show with her impressive piano performance in December as she hosted the Together at Christmas carol concert which was broadcast on ITV. After all her years as a senior royal, Kate is no stranger to TV appearances, although there’s one festive special that perhaps stands out. 

Back in 2019, Kate and Prince William joined baking royalty Dame Mary Berry for an unforgettable feel-good festive TV special. A Berry Royal Christmas had everything you could want to get you in the Christmas spirit, as viewers spotted an “iconic” moment between Kate and Mary. It wasn’t the only thing they noticed, however, as Prince William appeared to make a rare display of public affection towards his wife. 

And fans were left seriously divided by the Duchess’ response, with some dubbing the moment “awkward” after she appeared to “reject” the gesture. 

As reported by The Mirror, this surprising moment occurred after Prince William and Kate sat down to talk to charity volunteers. It reportedly looked as though the Queen’s grandchild was attempting to place his hand lovingly on his wife’s shoulder. Although instead of accepting this adorable gesture, it seemed to fans as if the Duchess moved away to prevent it. 

Whether or not it was intentional, this tiny detail didn’t go unnoticed and left viewers seriously divided as many perceived Kate’s movement as “shaking off” Prince William’s touch. 

According to the publication, one Twitter user declared at the time, “Awkward! Too awkward!! They should have cut it out."

“Kate shaking off William's hand on her shoulder during #ABerryRoyalChristmas”, one person commented simply, reflecting on what they’d perceived.

While another claimed the Duchess of Cambridge “moved with quickness” in response. However others defended Kate’s reaction, as one supposedly shared, “I like the way they interact, it’s professional. I don’t want to see excessive hand holding and back rubbing. It’s awkward, like you’re intruding on a private moment."

"LOOK WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Kate is beautifully content as William’s hand rests on her shoulder. FIRST William STARTS to remove his hand, AFTER Kate simply shifts”, someone else added.

The Royal Family are known for their professional approach to joint appearances, and romantic displays such as hand holding are rare for royal couples undertaking engagements. However, it’s thought that the Duke and Duchess “relaxed” royal rules since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepped back” in 2020. In October last year, William and Kate’s “gentle PDA”, public display of affection, at the Earthshot Prize 2021 awards captured fans’ imaginations. 

Despite romantic gestures now being less unusual for royal couples, it perhaps makes sense that Kate Middleton and Prince William's TV appearance back in 2019 saw the Duchess’ behavior stay more on what might be seen as the “professional” side.

In celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Her Majesty has launched a pudding competition that invites amateur bakers from across the country to get cooking.

• Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year.
• This means that the Monarch will have been on the throne for 70 years and will be celebrating in style with a four-day bank holiday.
• In other royal news, Prince William 'didn't want' to attend Princess Diana's statue unveiling with Prince Harry after Oprah interview.

Do you consider yourself a bit of a whiz in the kitchen? Do you pour over every episode of the Great British Bake Off? Well, you may want to get your whisk out and get involved in an exciting baking competition that could lead to baking for the Queen!

Buckingham Palace has just launched a pudding competition in celebration of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee that celebrates her 70-year long reign. 

The idea behind this is to create a special pudding to commemorate the momentous occasion. Much like how coronation chicken (chicken with mayonnaise and curry powder) became a popular dish when Her Majesty first became Queen.

The competition will be open to any UK residents who are aged 8 or over and want to try and create a signature 'platinum pudding.'

The royal family announced on Twitter, "🗣️ Calling all bakers! 🍰 To mark The Queen’s #PlatinumJubilee, a nationwide competition has been launched to discover the perfect Platinum Pudding recipe, to be enjoyed at Big Jubilee Lunches and by generations to come."

"Five finalists will prepare their pudding for an expert judging panel including Dame Mary Berry, Monica Galetti, and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanaghan—who has shared his top tips for entrants."

The Queen will technically celebrate this anniversary five months ahead of schedule, but the real celebration will take place in June, when the cake will be a focal point of the celebrations.

How to participate in the Queen's pudding competition

If you are a UK resident and aged 8 or over, you're in! All you need to do to participate is create a recipe and submit your plans before Friday, February 4, 2022.

You can submit the recipe through Fortnum & Mason's, the brand is working in collaboration with the royal family to create this competition and find the perfect Platinum pudding. 

Three rounds of judging panels will take place in February and then on March 14, five finalists will be invited to attend the live final. 

What does the Queen like to eat?

In 2016, for Her Majesty's 90th birthday, the Queen was presented with a cake baked by the Great British Bake Off star Nadiya Hussain. This cake was a twist on the classic lemon drizzle and was instead an 'orange drizzle' cake. This proved to be a popular dish with Her Majesty who reportedly prefers more simplistic bakes.

Food blogger Jane Dunn, who will also be judging the Platinum pudding competition, appeared on This Morning and told hosts, Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, "We’re looking for something as big as the Victoria sponge, the Coronation Chicken—anything that will be remembered, but maybe a more new and exciting flavor?”

Jane added, "I can imagine she would like quite a delicious, classic flavor. I think something quite exciting like white chocolate raspberry would be quite good here and especially at the time of year like you start getting into the summer months—something quite light."

Although fans are speculating about what the British monarch might like, the Queen has never revealed her favorite meal for fears that she will only be served certain types of food if she reveals her preferences. This means that bakers will have to assume that Her Majesty isn't a picky eater and will most likely enjoy a range of different flavors and culinary experiences.

However, Her Majesty has also been known to have some curious eating habits. For example, there are foods that royals are banned from eating, and the Queen has a bizarre way that she prefers to have her hamburgers served. So perhaps playing it safe isn't all it cracked up to be!

Dame Mary Berry—at last the world-famous chef, baker, TV star and author of countless cookbooks takes on the most prestigious honor awarded to women by the British monarchy.

Although loyal fans continue to tune in to the Great British Bake Off 2021, many still miss the indomitable Mary's presence on the judging panel.

The legend of the culinary world is synonymous with classic, easy-to-follow recipes. From favorites such as Mary Berry's lemon drizzle traybake or her unbeatable fruity scones recipe, the original Great British Bake Off judge's extensive collection of books has long been a stalwart of every home-cook’s library.

Mary was made a Dame Commander by Prince Charles for her lifetime of cooking, writing and baking, at a ceremony in Windsor Castle.

Mary, who revealed in the past that her parents were ‘disappointed’ in her career choice, has previously said that the Damehood honor is bittersweet—for the most heartbreaking reason.

Following the ceremony, she said, "I'm extremely proud and honored. I just wish my parents were here—they're looking down and my children are quite excited."

The iconic chef then added the legacy she hopes to pass on. "My aim is to pass on the skill that I love so much, because everybody has to cook each day. Whether it's a student or whatever it is, you've got to feed yourself so why not learn to do it well and enjoy it."

ITV News reports that the leading cookery writer and broadcaster has published more than 50 books during a career spanning more than five decades and will be honored during a Windsor Castle investiture ceremony. Dame Mary, who's gained the name “Queen of Cakes” is also recognized for her extensive charity work. 

This is in particular for her role as patron of Child Bereavement UK, a charity close to her heart as she lost her son in a tragic accident. Speaking during a Christmas special, which featured the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Mary Berry opened up about her heartbreaking personal tragedy.

Explaining her depth of compassion towards the Duke of Cambridge she said, “Prince William lost his mother at a very vulnerable age. And we lost our son, aged 19, in a car accident. So, we both know what it is to be without someone very special."

Her closeness to the royals isn't only relating to their trauma, as it appears that Dame Mary's books are an absolute favorite with the royal family. Back in 2019, Duchess Catherine revealed Prince Louis' first word was actually inspired by Mary Berry!

Mary Berry joined forces with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for a festive special, where she also opened up about losing her son William when he was just 19-years-old.

The baking legend featured in A Berry Royal Christmas, a one-off programme where she helped Prince William and Duchess Catherine showcase the wonderful work they have been doing with some of the charities they’re patrons of.

On her way to meet Prince William at the homeless charity he supports – The Passage – Mary confessed to be less nervous as she already knows the royal because they’re both patrons of Child Bereavement UK.

“Prince William lost his mother at a very vulnerable age,” she says, “And we lost our son, aged 19, in a car accident. So, we both know what it is to be without someone very special.

“Christmas for us always holds mixed emotions and I try to think of other who might not be having the best time."

READ MORE: Royal fans in tears as Prince William pays poignant tribute to mother Princess Diana in Mary Berry’s festive special

This is not the first time the former Great British Bake Off has spoken about the pain of losing a son.

For the The One More Minute campaign campaign, Mary said in a very poignant video, “If I could have one more minute with William, what would I say to him?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL_eX30bbQE

With her voice breaking in emotion, the star, who is also mum to daughter Annabel and son Thomas, continued, “I would thank him for being a brilliant son.”

READ MORE: Viewers spot ‘iconic’ moment between the Duchess of Cambridge and Mary Berry in new show

She’s also previously opened up about how she found out her son had sadly died.

“It was about 1pm. The doorbell rang and a policeman was there. Immediately, I knew why.

“He said, ‘There’s been an accident and I’m sorry to say your son is dead’.”

Continuing the explain how she and her husband Paul went to say goodbye to him in hospital, Mary said, “He just looked so beautiful and so lovely, his little cold face and it was nice to say farewell.”