Wendy also received a hug from the prince as their conversation reached its conclusion.
She said: “At the end, he held out to shake my hand. I couldn’t remember putting my hand forward to shake his, because it’s not my culture.
“Deaf culture is we always have a hug so I quickly said, without thinking, ‘can I have a hug?’.
“His eyes were looking from one to the other thinking ‘no, we’re not allowed’ – but he did.
“The funny part was when we’d finished. They said I have to go back two steps, bow and turn and leave – but I didn’t.
“I remember hugging, then I realised I’d forgotten to curtsy and I went back to do a curtsy. It was totally overwhelming, but it was very funny.”
Wendy hopes to use her honour to challenge issues that people in the deaf community face.
“There are lots more barriers to knock down and I’m looking forward to doing that,” she said.
“I did ask Prince William if he could come and visit our school in Derby, and he said ‘it can be arranged’.”