--- description: A photo that construction worker Sam Wayne took with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has sparked speculation that Middleton was catcalled. title: Construction Worker From Kate Middleton Selfie Is Respectful image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19dbbff76d6ea10b/6988a4b18e060147f8467565/kate-middleton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Construction Worker Explains His Viral Selfie With Kate Middleton  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Sep 2, 2016 4:40 PM CUT  Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge share a joke with construction workers as they visit Nansledan, a 218-hectare site that will provide future business and housing for the local area on September 1, 2016 in Newquay, United Kingdom. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge share a joke with construction workers as they visit Nansledan, a 218-hectare site that will provide future business and housing for the local area on September 1, 2016 in Newquay, United Kingdom.Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Sep 2, 2016 4:40 PM CUT After construction worker Sam Wayne took a [selfie](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210792791076915&set=pb.1264733470.-2207520000.1472829130.&type=3&theater "undefined") with the [Duke and Duchess of Cambridge](http://time.com/4298415/prince-william-princess-kate-never-hold-hands/ "undefined") during the royal couple’s visit to a building development in Cornwall, England, on Thursday, the picture quickly went viral. However, a photo of Wayne’s selfie attempt — which features a laughing [Kate Middleton](http://time.com/4396653/serena-williams-kate-middleton-snapchat-wimbledon/ "undefined") and a seemingly unamused [Prince William](http://time.com/4372806/prince-william-gif-queen/?utm%5Fsource=feedburner&utm%5Fmedium=feed&utm%5Fcampaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29 "undefined") — sparked speculation that the workers had subjected the Princess to catcalling, reports [Metro News Canada](http://www.metronews.ca/news/world/2016/09/01/royal-audacity-kate-middleton-catcalled-construction-workers.html "undefined"). In a Friday interview with the [_Daily Express_](http://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/706630/Scaffolder-now-famous-selfie-Duchess-of-Cambridge-wife-Hayley-kate-william-cornwall "undefined"), Wayne — who also captured a [selfie with Prince Charles](https://www.facebook.com/sam.wayne.52/posts/10210796050758405 "undefined") in 2014 — insisted that although a few workers made comments about her appearance, everyone was respectful of Middleton. “I did not hear any wolf whistling — a few of the builders said she was looking hot — but everyone was very respectful.” Wayne went on to say that the rumors were generated by stereotypes associated with construction workers. “I am a bit cheeky and it is a bit of fun — but I find it all very odd that all the headlines about their visit have just been about a selfie,” he said. “As much as I love my five minutes of fame the reaction has been based around a stereotype of builders and scaffolders.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4477695/kate-middleton-selfie-construction-worker-catcalling/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4477695/kate-middleton-selfie-construction-worker-catcalling/"},"headline":"Construction Worker Explains His Viral Selfie With Kate Middleton","datePublished":"2016-09-02T16:40:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:36:10.353Z","description":"\"The reaction has been based around a stereotype of builders\"","url":"https://time.com/4477695/kate-middleton-selfie-construction-worker-catcalling/","keywords":["Newsfeed","celebrities","kate middleton","Prince William","British Royals","british royal family"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19dbbff76d6ea10b/6988a4b18e060147f8467565/kate-middleton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19dbbff76d6ea10b/6988a4b18e060147f8467565/kate-middleton.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"The Duke & Duchess Of Cambridge Visit Cornwall","caption":"Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge share a joke with construction workers as they visit Nansledan, a 218-hectare site that will provide future business and housing for the local area on September 1, 2016 in Newquay, Uni","creditText":"Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4477695/kate-middleton-selfie-construction-worker-catcalling/","name":"Construction Worker Explains His Viral Selfie With Kate Middleton"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Will and Kate Visit India","description":"Prince William and Kate Middleton spent four days vacationing in India, marking their first official visit to the country as a couple.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/gXECGWjm/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-04-14T20:02:33.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/gXECGWjm.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4477695/kate-middleton-selfie-construction-worker-catcalling/","duration":"PT1M7S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4477695/kate-middleton-selfie-construction-worker-catcalling/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```