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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
John Jones

People have been comparing stories about the most famous person they've ever met in Wales

Most of us have had an encounter with someone famous which has left us feeling a bit starstruck.

Whether it's a sportsperson you idolised growing up, or the star of your favourite TV show, sometimes it's too difficult to resist going up to them and saying hello and maybe snapping a selfie or getting an autograph too.

While some stars may be less keen on the attention others might leave you with some cracking anecdotes to brag about to your envious friends.

Read more: The celebrities who have made a new life for themselves in Wales

And when we asked on our Facebook page who the most famous person you had met in Wales was you didn't disappoint, with A-listers, sport stars, and iconic figures all making the spotted list.

Here are some of the best responses.

'I had breakfast with Prince Charles'

Unsurprisingly the Royal family features heavily in the responses with many people meeting future monarchs, as well as the Queen and Prince Philip, during royal visits to Wales

Becky Churchill said: "I met the Queen at Cardiff Central train station when I was about 12, gave her flowers and got it on video somewhere." Claire Scott added that she had also met Her Majesty – this time at Swansea train station in the late 1980s.

Loads of you had met Prince Charles before (PA)

Prince Charles was a name mentioned numerous times by those who commented but Bernard Assinder had them all beaten as he revealed: "I've met Prince Charles on about five occasions and I also had two working breakfasts with him at his home at Highgrove.

"I also met Prince Edward when he visited Abertillery. He seemed like a really nice down-to-earth bloke."

Other royals were also mentioned with Princess Diana, Princess Anne, and Prince Harry all included.

The latest Royal visit to Wales came on St David's Day this year as Prince William and Kate travelled to Abergavenny, where they met school children, toured a goat farm, and tried their hand at making Welsh cakes.

'I used to serve Tom Jones his coffee'

If our comment section is anything to go by it's not unusual to bump into the superstar that is Sir Tom Jones with loads of you encountering the legendary Welsh crooner over the years.

Christine Williams described Sir Tom and his son as "lovely people" after she met them while Marc Groenenberg said: "I met him in Porth whilst I was coming back from working in Ynyshir."

Others have encountered him at work with Sylvia Neagle writing: "I used to serve Tom Jones in an Italian cafe in the Rhondda after he finished local gigs" while Jamie Bevan believed his mum had served the Delilah singer tea and coffee at the Empire Cafe in Porth.

Allan Jack met him at filming for the One Show and Pat Brown even claimed she'd met him in his dressing room in the Capital Cardiff.

Sir Tom is one of many musical stars to have been spotted in Wales (Hadyn Iball / North Wales Live)

However Sir Tom isn't the only musical star to have been spotted, with NSYNC, Heather Small, and Ian 'H' Watkins of Steps fame all named by those who commented.

Sarah Pitch said: "I saw Bonnie Tyler over 30 years ago at the Marks and Spencer's food hall till" while Hailey Norris said: "Liam Gallagher, outside the Marriott Hotel on the Be Here Now Oasis tour in Cardiff."

A couple of people even met a rock legend in Queen guitarist Sir Brian May with Mary Hollamby saying: "He came to a do here in Wind Street, Swansea, to promote Clean Boot Hunt which was against fox hunting.

"He was an absolute delight, so friendly, spent lots of time talking to fans, taking selfies with us all, none of this: 'don't you know who I am?' stuff. A real genuine nice, humble person."

'I met Gareth Bale in Nando's'

For a country with such a depth of sporting talent it's little surprise that some of the biggest names in rugby and football dominate the comment section.

There are no shortage of rugby stars in the mix with Alun Wyn Jones, Shane Williams, Colin Charvis, Gareth Edwards, James Hook, Gareth Thomas, and Dwayne Peel all named as well as All Black legends Jonah Lomu and Richie McCaw.

Terry Johns said: "I met Jiffy (Jonathan Davies) about 20 years ago. After a Newport and Cardiff game I was talking about how good he used to be on the walk out of the ground and he tapped me on the shoulder from behind and we stopped and talked. Lovely bloke."

Gareth Bale was seen tucking into some peri-peri chicken (Gareth Everett/Huw Evans Agency)

Victoria Workman recalled her stepdad losing her at a rugby match when she was a child, adding: "This giant man picked me up and held me until my stepdad was found. He was Mervyn Davies – aka Merv the Swerve!"

Robert Williams added: "The first time I was ever starstruck was when I seen rugby legend Graham Price when my team Aberavon Harlequins played Pontypool in the Schweppes Cup. I was just standing there mouth wide open."

It's not just rugby players either, with some of Wales' finest footballing talent also spotted out and about.

Lisa Jane Turner said that she'd seen Chris Coleman and the entire Welsh team while Michael Sparkes met Ian Rush, adding: "Being a Liverpool supporter it was rather special."

However perhaps the pick of the bunch is James Bletsoe's offering: "I met Gareth Bale at a Nando's in Cardiff Bay."

'I saw Michael Sheen selling Welsh cakes'

Film and TV stars from across the world are also well represented in the comments with Joanna Lumley, Bill Nighy, and Melrose Place star Heather Locklear among those spotted while visiting Wales.

There are, however, plenty of stories involving Welsh acting talent, with Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones seen by Ann Baldwin and Steffan Rhodri – aka Dave Coaches – spotted in Tesco by Clare Jones.

Claire Helen was a waitress at Fresh Meat actress Kimberly Nixon's wedding in Crickhowell, where she also met Luke Evans and Jack Whitehall, while Lisa Tristram recalled: "I saw Michael Sheen selling Welsh cakes in Aberavon shopping centre a few years ago."

Michael Sheen was spotted selling Welsh cakes in Aberavon (South Wales Evening Post)

Iden Majeed said Joe Swash was a "really genuine and nice guy" after working with him on a TV show about ghost hunting at Pembroke Castle while Andrew Pettey got a shock when he walked into a Cardiff Bay restaurant to see John Hurt sitting with David Tennant – and Charlie from Casualty just a few tables away.

One of the craziest stories was shared by Anntalynn Topez who didn't recognise Welsh actor Rhys Ifans when she encountered him near Penarth pier after receiving some sad news.

"I asked him: 'please have you got a light?'" she said. "I had just come from Marie Curie hospital after just finding out my mum was terminally ill.

"I didn't even realise it was him and didn't realise he was reading a script back in 2012 filming Panda Eyes as I found out after. Lovely gentleman. Left him be when I found out. Could not believe I did not realise it was him."

'The Pope, Nelson Mandela... Derek the weatherman'

It's safe to say there was a fair bit of range in the responses to our question.

Some offerings were incredibly hard to beat as far as global fame is concerned with The Pope and Nelson Mandela both put forward by some who chose to comment.

Talking about meeting Mandela, Alun Edwards said he was "not just famous but a wonderful man," with another replying: "I think you win the prize here!"

A few people have been lucky to meet the legend that is Max Boyce (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

However some were far happier with their meetings with Welsh cult heroes with comedians Harry Secombe and Max Boyce both mentioned frequently as well as legendary weatherman Derek Brockway.

Some went even more local in their scope for celebrity, with Geoff Newton suggesting: "The man in the Fountain chip shop, Merthyr Tydfil," while John Cosford said: "Landlord in the Crown, Abertillery – great bloke and good pint of Brains".

The sweetest suggestion, however, came from Michael John Sprudd, who simply said: "My wife, Lynne". Awww.

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