A HERO pensioner has told how Prince William ignored the Royal rulebook to give him a hug – after hearing they shared the same name.
William Burns, 66, met the Duke of Cambridge when he visited a community hub in Kennishead, Glasgow on Wednesday.
It saw the OAP – who also calls himself Billy – burst into tears with emotion.
And his wife Ellie, 64, managed to blag a selfie with Wills – but only after he fixed her phone.
Billy said: “He was shaking everyone’s hands as was Kate. I think he broke protocol.”
Ellie asked the Royal for a personal snap together.
She said: “I asked the future king if I could get a selfie but I couldn’t work my new phone.
“Prince William touched the phone which turned the camera round to me and him.
“Then he took the photo of us together.
“I said to him, ‘Billy is the longest person who’s been up here. He said, ‘Bring him over’.”
Billy continued: “Prince William said, ‘What’s your name?’”
“When I told him he said, ‘Ah William, very pleased to meet you.
“Then he just grabbed me, I’m just a wee chap but he’s a big fellow.
“He cuddled me and everybody clapped.
“I thought oh my God and started to greet.
“I just felt something through him, like he was cuddling a grandparent, or like a son cuddling a parent.
“A tear came in my eye and he seen that.
“He said, ‘It’s OK William, I know how you feel. You’ve been here a long time, you must’ve seen many changes’.
“I told him there’s great people here and a great community.
“He said, ‘That is incredible’.
“I said it’s incredible here right now, my heart’s going out my head.
“Then a beautiful lady came over and she shook my hand as well.”
Such interactions with the public usually involve a bow, curtsey or polite handshake, as has been royal tradition for centuries.
The Royal couple received a warm welcome at a community hub run by Wheatley Group, which transforms the lives of disadvantaged young people and families.
Former driving instructor and electrician Billy told how he once saved two girls from a knife horror after foiling a robbery.
He said: “It was away back in 1970s when I was working in a shop.
“I’m in the back making up bags of potatoes and I hear the door going.
“I peered through and saw about six of them with knives and weapons.
“I’m standing at the back terrified what’s going to happen.
“I grab the only thing I can which is a tattie, it was a King Edward.
“I went into the shop and said I’ll smash your head with a tattie.
“I said get out the shop and take your pals, you’re not robbing it.
“But they wanted the money and grabbed the til off the counter.
“There was a guy with a knife pointing down at the door and two girls were running towards it.
“I could see the knife was about to go right into their faces so had to do something.
“So I shouted and chased them out with a wee knife and they all ran out the door.”
His bravery saw him awarded a Glasgow hero award by the Lord Provost and a cash reward which he donated to Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.
Billy has 25 grandchildren and has helped various people in the community.
But he’s had two strokes and suffers from other medical problems.
However it doesn’t stop him from still enjoying life.
He said: “I love Glasgow, it’s exciting and you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”
