The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge donned Beigel Bake aprons this week to help knead dough at the famous Brick Lane institution. 

The masked royals made the stop during a visit to London Bridge and Whitechapel to highlight the economic impact of the pandemic on local businesses.

Co-owner Amnon Cohen told the JC that he joked during Prince William and Kate Middleton’s visit that the bakery had existed “for 41 years and it’s about time you came."

“They were hands on. They were really nice,” he said. “We gave [their staff] a basket of assorted bagels and we’re waiting for them to give us an answer” on their preferred fillings. 

“They were very informal, colloquial speaking which was great to see and it was nice to see them out and about,” his son Elias said.

“They were really good. They had a light touch,” he said about the royals’ bagel-making technique. “One of our employees said, you're after my job.”                                                                             

The bakery was forced to furlough most members of staff after initially reducing opening hours in an earlier stage of lockdown. “It was only a handful who worked, which was myself and my partner and a few other workers, and we only worked a few hours a day,” the co-owner said.

“Eventually more people came to work after two months and more than half of the workers are back. It’s still not the same as it used to be but we’re over half, two thirds there at the moment,” he added.

The bakery’s illustrious visitors also heard how the shop brought freshly baked unsold treats to local hospitals and charities, supporting vulnerable members of the local community during lockdown.

After the visit, the Brick Lane shop tweeted that “royal beigels made by Will and Kate” were available now.