Royalty in Benoni toilet

Chief Sports writer Kevin McCallum looks at the day Prince Albert of Monaco had to use a a toilet in a Benoni pub.

Chief Sports writer Kevin McCallum looks at the day Prince Albert of Monaco had to use a a toilet in a Benoni pub.

Published Jul 31, 2015

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On Monday, Prince Albert of Monaco called his wife, Charlene, from a pub to tell her he had finally made it to a spot that had played a seminal spot in her family’s life. He was at the McGinty’s in Northmead Square, Benoni, the local of his father-in-law, reported the Benoni City Times, who ran a delightful natter on the moment.

The McGinty’s is hardly a royal-fare pub. I’ve had a few drinks there in my time. It’s not far from the pool where Charlene used to swim as a youngster. I remember typing her name as a young (and only) sports reporter at the Benoni City Times, copying it from the long list of results and time trials faxed in the night before. It was the worst job. All the results were faxed in, most of them handwritten. You haven’t seen hell until you have transcribed bowls matches on a Monday morning.

Charlene Wittstock’s name came up a lot in those swimming results, usually having won races or having been selected for a provincial team. She wasn’t in town this week, staying back in Monaco with her kids. Her husband, in town for the Rhino Conservation Awards, had fun at McGinty’s. He even posed for a picture with Roland Patrick in the toilets. “I went into the toilet and he was standing next to me at the urinal,” Patrick told the City Times. “I said welcome to Benoni, your royal highness. I asked if I could take a selfie and he said: ‘I have never had one in a toilet before’.”

The prince asked to first wash his hands.

Princess Charlene can be seen on SA screens as part of what may be the most emotional sports advert on TV. SuperSport’s Rugby World Cup campaign features the princess, as well as a host of others, including PJ Powers, Trevor Noah, John Smit, Morné du Plessis, Bryan Habana, Chester Williams, Strauss, Sean Fitzpatrick, Franck Mesnel, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Princess Charlene, Ryk Neethling, Hekkie Budler, Sam Warburton, Fikile Mbalula and Richard Hill.

The campaign has “Our Hearts Are In It” as the slogan, with two 90-second promos and “more than a dozen 60-second vignettes with famous people recalling their best rugby memories”. It was originally to be one 60-second promo, but the production house, Admit One, got so much footage in shoots in Wales, Ireland, England, France and Monaco the decision was made to extend them.

Smit, who won the World Cup in 2007, had his piece shot on a Durban pier and was chirped by a jogger. “So when are the Sharks gonna win again?” “Ja,” said Smit, “I get a lot of that these days.” From tomorrow, SuperSport will flight 13 short stories of personalities sharing their Rugby World Cup memories. Perhaps Prince Albert may come back to watch a game at McGinty’s.

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