Princess Kate and Two of Her Kids Shake Off a Rough Week By Visiting the Set of Kate’s Favorite TV Show

(Image credit: Getty)

published 3 December 2023

It has no doubt not been the Princess of Wales’ favorite week of her life, but it seems she was able to find some levity: Hello reports that Kate is a big fan of the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing (comparable to Dancing with the Stars in the U.S.), and that she made a secret visit to the show’s studio, Elstree Studios, with her kids on Friday, where the trio caught a rehearsal.

During the visit, Kate, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis “got stuck in with the Strictly fun and took turns in the glitzy judges’ seats,” the outlet reports. The Waleses later met with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, in addition to some of the show’s professional dancers, including Dianne Buswell and Nadiya Bychkova; the three were also given a tour of the costume department, where Louis “tried on a small gold crown,” Hello reports. (He is, after all, a prince…)

Prince Louis screaming at the Coronation

The three were there for two hours, The Mirror reports, and “they gave their verdicts with the scoring paddles to professional dancers Katya and Neil Jones,” the outlet writes. Louis “got to stand on the balcony overlooking the dance floor where contestants gather during the show,” The Mirror continues. A source told The Sun that “Kate and Charlotte are huge fans of Strictly, so they were delighted to be invited. Kate took pictures of the children in the judges’ seats. She seemed really relaxed and was all smiles. She was polite, sweet, and charming with everyone and made sure Louis didn’t get over-excited.”

Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis

They continued “There was a strict security lockdown on set, and staff were told not to take any photos. The children were especially excited and got dressed up. They were thrilled to be on set and to meet their favorite celebrities.”

Strictly Come Dancing hosts — Winkleman and Daly

The royal family makes no bones about the fact that they love Strictly Come Dancing. In 2019, Prince William revealed that both Kate and his mother-in-law Carole Middleton are huge fans of the dancing competition. Speaking to Strictly judge Shirley Ballas and the aforementioned Winkleman at a charity gala, William said, “I have watched the show a couple of times. Catherine is a huge fan, and my mother-in-law loves it.” Additionally, King Charles and Queen Camilla both love it, as did Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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