Coronation Street Star Sally Lindsay Gives One-Word Verdict on Prince William After Receiving Her MBE

Sally Lindsay has shared her warm impression of Prince William after the future King personally presented her with an MBE, revealing a memorable exchange that made the special occasion even more meaningful.

The Coronation Street actress, who was recognised for her contribution to the entertainment industry, described the Prince of Wales as “lovely” and recalled how he immediately recognised her and knew about her career. Speaking to Woman magazine, Sally also revealed the amusing misunderstanding that occurred when she first received news of her prestigious honour.

Prince William’s personal touch made the ceremony special

Sally, best known for playing Shelley Unwin in ITV’s Coronation Street between 2001 and 2006, was among those recognised in the honours system. She has since appeared in The Madame Blanc Mysteries and the BBC sitcom Still Open All Hours.

Towards the end of 2025, she received a letter informing her that she would be appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). She was subsequently presented with the honour by Prince William.

Looking back on their meeting, Sally spoke enthusiastically about the Prince’s friendly manner and attention to detail.

“The Prince of Wales was lovely. He knew exactly who I was and what I’d done. He asked me when I left Coronation Street. I said, ’21 years ago’, and he replied, ‘Oh God, I feel so old.’ I joked, ‘You feel old?’. It was a special day,” she recalled.

The brief exchange left Sally with a particularly positive impression of William, who showed that he was familiar with her television career.

She initially thought the MBE letter was about a parking fine

While receiving an MBE was a major moment in Sally’s career, the way she first discovered the news was far less glamorous.

The actress revealed that the official letter arrived shortly before Christmas 2025, at a time when she was dealing with a dispute over a parking fine.

Sally had paid for her parking but was told that the payment had not been received. Having been exchanging correspondence over the issue, she was determined to challenge what she believed was an unfair charge.

When an official-looking envelope with a stamp arrived at her home, her immediate reaction was to assume that the dispute had escalated into legal proceedings.

She explained: “It was just before last Christmas that I got the letter telling me about my MBE.”

Recalling her first thoughts, she said she had been going back and forth over the parking fine and initially feared the letter meant she was being taken to court.

Fortunately, the parking dispute was eventually dropped after she provided evidence that she had paid.

Sally admitted that the unexpected news of her MBE left her in shock. The recognition was outside her usual comfort zone, and she initially questioned whether she was deserving of such an honour.

However, reflecting on her three decades in the industry, she came to feel that the award was something she could accept with pride.

A tribute to working-class actors

Prince William was not the only part of the experience that left an impression on Sally. She also remembered her interactions with staff at Windsor Castle, where discovering their working-class backgrounds made her feel an immediate sense of connection.

She said she had found her “tribe” among them, reinforcing the importance of the recognition to her.

When her MBE was announced, Sally made clear that she wanted the honour to represent more than her own achievements. She dedicated it to working-class people working across the entertainment industry, highlighting the need for greater representation.

In a statement issued at the time, she said:

“Throughout my career I have met incredible people, made life-long friends and worked on many memorable projects. I would like to dedicate this award to the rest of the 8% of working class people who make up my industry and hope in the future there will be many more of us.”

For Sally, the MBE was therefore not simply a personal milestone. It was also an opportunity to recognise the wider community of working-class performers and professionals whose contributions deserve greater visibility.

And while the honour itself was a memorable achievement, her warm encounter with Prince William — complete with a light-hearted exchange about his age — gave her another special moment to remember.