Robert HardmanPrince blushes as girl fan says it with flowers ALEX Miller had eyes - and flowers - for only one member of the Royal Family yesterday as she stood outside Sandringham parish church.
Her bouquet of pink carnations were for Prince William. No one else, not even the Queen, would do. Whenever the Queen attends church at Sandringham, it is traditional for a group of children to be brought to the churchyard steps to present her with flowers. Yesterday Alex, 15, attempted to blend in with 26 much younger children in order to meet her idol.
The Peterborough schoolgirl waited at the back of the group and was the last in line to present flowers to the Queen. "Are they for me?" the Queen asked with a smile. Nervous but insistent, Alex replied that they were for the 14-year-old Prince and not his grandmother.
When Prince Harry attempted to retrieve the flowers on his brother's behalf, he, too, was unsuccessful. It was eventually pointed out to Prince William that his presence was required and he went across to meet his determined fan.
"I really wanted to give my flowers to Prince William and I wasn't going to give them to anybody else," Alex said afterwards. "I think Prince William was rather embarrassed. He came forward, went red, took the flowers, said 'Thank you' and then walked away."
Her admiration soared further after this brief encounter. "I think he is just lovely. What a marvellous boyfriend he would make. I wrote him a little letter and put it in with the flowers. I think William is rather shy, but he is so handsome."
The Prince is rapidly gaining heartthrob status among Britain's teenage girls. Earlier this year he was a pin-up in a girls' magazine and this month was voted Britain's "fifth most fanciable male" by readers of Smash Hits. Also present at the church yesterday were Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, Captain Timothy Laurence and Prince Edward.
They heard the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Peter Nott, preach a sermon echoing the Queen's Christmas message about the need to look to the future. The royal party will break up tomorrow when the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry leave for a skiing holiday in Switzerland.
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