SIMON Watkinson, 40, is a project manager and professional Prince William lookalike.
He lives in London with his head of marketing fiancée Sandra, 40, and their son.
As the crowd surged closer, the screams got louder. Things were turning dangerous, so I was pulled from the mob and into a taxi. I’d never been so glad to see Buckingham Palace disappear in the rear-view mirror.
Growing up in Adelaide, Australia, none of my family were interested in the royals. But whenever we came to England to visit relatives, they would say how much I looked like William.
I never thought anything of it until, in 2006 when I was 24, I moved to London to work as an engineer. Suddenly strangers would do double-takes on the street, dashing over to ask for a photo. Every time I went to the pub, people would call me William and buy me drinks.
As a naturally shy guy, it was overwhelming at first, but I could see how much joy people had when they thought I was him.
Read More on Lookalikes
SEEING DOUBLE
Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson and Gordon Ramsey - meet the celebs whose kids are their mirror image
Then, once William and Kate got engaged in November 2010, things became even crazier. That’s when a friend suggested I try to make some money out of the resemblance.
After some Googling, I found Alison Jackson, a photographer famous for her lookalike pictures of celebrities. I took a few snaps in my work suit, emailed them over, and the next day Alison replied.
‘A SHOCK TO SEE PHOTOS IN THE PAPERS’
She was doing a book, imagining Kate and William in behind-the-scenes moments, and thought I’d be perfect. Five days later I was posing with ‘Kate’, pretending to be madly in love with my soon-to-be bride.
It was a shock to see the photos in the papers. ‘Kate’ was in lingerie and the two of us looked quite racy.
I hadn’t told anyone I was doing it, but thankfully my employer, family and friends thought it was hilarious – and I got paid £2,000, which made it even better!
That’s when the whirlwind really began. I joined a lookalike agency and was booked for endless personal appearances, interviews and photoshoots, earning between £500 and £1,000 for a few hours’ work.
I’d finish my day job as an engineer and dash to a booking, change my tie and become the heir to the throne.
Alison hired a horse and carriage to take ‘Kate’ – real name Jodie – and me through London. It was uncomfortable at first, as Jodie and I were strangers thrown together doing these bizarre photos. But we bonded over the situation and are now good friends.
I had to learn how to handle cocker spaniels and newborns, as with each royal birth my ‘family’ got bigger. I’d never even held a baby before Prince George was born. Suddenly I was changing a nappy on camera!
Unlike ‘Kate’, who spent thousands following Catherine’s fashion, I was lucky. William nearly always wears suits. And he doesn’t actually speak very much, so I don’t have to try too hard to hide my Australian accent.
There have been some fabulous jobs – I had to pinch myself on a business class flight to Australia in 2014 to film a Chinese milk advert for £10,000. But I do have to turn down jobs.
Underwear modelling is a big no, and in 2011 I was even offered £8,000 to film some Prince William porn – but it wasn’t nearly enough to make me get my crown jewels out!
Being William’s lookalike was tricky when I was single. Some women thought it was weird. The first time I met my fiancée Sandra, in 2015, after connecting on a dating app, I walked into the pub and someone thought I was William – which certainly broke the ice.
Thankfully, Sandra is now totally unfazed by it all, even opening the newspaper and seeing photos of me in bed with ‘Kate’ doesn’t bother her.
Read More on The Celeb Report
The one thing coming between me and the prince now, is our different hairlines. Would I shave it off to recreate his look? If the price was right!
I’ve had some incredible adventures and made over £120,000 being William. The best part is that, unlike the real prince, I can leave the madness behind. I’ve had a taste of what being royal is like – I’ll take civilian life any day.
