Real talk: we did not have Prince William, the future King, making a Dancing with the Stars (the US version of Strictly) cameo on our 2025 bingo card. But, hey! Here were are – and that's exactly what he's just done.
As much as we wish we could report that he was donning a gnarly spray tan, sparkly pair of tights and cha-cha-cha-ing across the dancefloor himself as part of the competition, the Prince's appearance was far more demure than that. *Sob*
William actually popped up to wish another contestant the very best of luck, revealing his unexpected friendship with Steve Irwin's son, Robert, who is competing on the series with pro dancer, Witney Carson.
Via a video, Prince William joked, “We’re missing you, Robert! While your twinkle toes are going off elsewhere, I need him down here. Witney, I need you to get him in as much glitter as you can.”
It's believed the pair forged a bond after meeting through William's Earthshot scheme, a competition that aims to support and showcase innovative solutions to help fight climate change and environmental issues; Irwin is an Earthshot global ambassador, having met the Prince in South Africa during last year's prize-giving ceremony.
The most recent Earthshot even took place in Brazil on 5 November.
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“Guys, you’ve got a seriously good chance of winning it so the best of luck on the show,” the royal added.
Irwin said in response that the message “meant the world to him”, and added, “We are doing this dance for Bindi [Irwin's sister] and we are doing this dance for Prince William. So let’s not mess this up.”
We're so here for this bromance!
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
