Royal Double Date! Kate Middleton and Prince William Take Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel to a Show

Mar. 15, 2025

It’s a royal double date!

Kate MiddletonandPrince Williamhit the red carpet on Thursday evening for an early holiday tradition at the annual Royal Variety Performance at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall.

This year’s show had an extra royal presence, asCrown Princess Victoriaand Prince Daniel of Sweden also stepped out for the event.

Kate Middleton and Prince William attend the Royal Variety Performance on Nov. 30, 2023.DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty

DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty

While Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel were new to the experience, Prince William and Princess Kate have been regular royal guests of honor at the Royal Variety Performance. Theylast attended in Nov. 2021, when comedian Alan Carr told Prince William he was “not hitting on his wife” after complimenting Kate from the stage.

The tradition of royals attending the theatrical event began with William’s great-great-grandfather King George V in 1921.

The two royal couples spent the day getting to know each other better. Earlier, the Prince and Princess of Wales, both 41, entertained Crown Princess Victoria, 46, and Prince Daniel, 50, at Windsor Castle.

Crown Princess Victoria and Crown Prince Daniel of Sweden arrive to attend the Royal Variety Performance on November 30, 2023.DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty

The Swedish royals are on a few days' visit to the U.K., and William and Kate wanted to cement their relationship with their counterparts. With William and Victoria both heirs to their respective thrones, they are uniquely placed to continue the close relationship between the two royal families and their countries.

The U.K. visit was a royal reunion for the couples. Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel were guests atPrince William and Princess Kate’s wedding in 2011, and the Swedish royalsshowed their British pals around their home countryduring a tour in 2018.Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the Royal Variety Performance on Nov. 30, 2023.Press Association via AP Images

Press Association via AP Images

Victoria and Daniel are on a three-day visit to the U.K. and kicked off their public appearances with avisit to a pub. At The Three Blackbirds pub in Newmarket, Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel stepped behind the bar, where the future queen poured herself a draft beer and took a sip.

The pair also met the pub owner, discussed English pub culture and heard a presentation about East Anglia during their visit before visiting a military base where Swedish military personnel are delivering training to Ukrainian soldiers as part of the U.K.-led Operation Interflex.

Kate Middleton attends the Royal Variety Performance on Nov. 30, 2023.DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty

The Royal Variety Performance started with an awkward moment whenreporters shouted questionsat the Prince and Princess of Wales as they exited their car surrounding Omid Scobie’s new bookEndgame. The Dutch translation of the book is beingtemporarily removed from store shelvesas it reportedly names the members of the family involved in a conversation that included acontroversial commentabout the skin color ofMeghan MarkleandPrince Harry’s child before he was born. On Wednesday night, Piers Morgan named the royals on his show.

Prince William and Princess Kate didn’t answer or acknowledge the questions, walking towards each other and briefly holding hands before William put a hand on his wife’s back and they walked down the red carpet.

source: people.com