Royals: Darcey Bussell talks about The Queen dancing all night
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Queen Elizabeth, 96, stays at Balmoral Castle in Scotland every August for her annual summer holiday. When staying at Balmoral, Her Majesty has several favourite pastimes. One of these hobbies is dancing, according to Dame Darcey Bussell.
Darcey is the star of a new programme called ‘Royal Road Trip’ on Channel 4, where she follows in the footsteps of the Queen.
The Dame will explore the locations that have “shaped our monarch’s identity” according to the programme’s description.
The professional ballet dancer appeared on Lorraine on Monday morning to talk about the monarch’s love of dancing when staying at Balmoral.
She said: “I did appreciate that the Queen has done a lot of Scottish dancing over her 70 years as monarch.
“The Ghillies Ball is a very important part of that.”
The monarch loves Scottish dancing and hosts an annual dance for her neighbours, estate and staff during her summer stay at Balmoral.
The Royal Family website reads: “Each year during her stay at Balmoral Castle, The Queen gives dances known as Ghillies Ball which take place in the estate’s grand ballroom.”
Prince Albert bought Balmoral Castle in 1852.
Queen Victoria subsequently held a dance in September called the ‘Ghillies Ball’, to thank her staff and servants.
During this ball, the servants are allowed to dance with the upper classes, which includes the Royal Family.
This would be one of the few occasions that the cooks and maids would have interactions with the royals.
Darcey added: “It’s funny isn’t it, because I didn’t imagine that she [the Queen] would be a keen dancer.
“But apparently she did every dance and she’d stay up late into the night and be there to just enjoy it.”
Speaking to ITV, Princess Eugenie once described the Royal Family’s jam-packed schedule when staying at the Queen’s estate.
“Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time,” she described the goings-on at the castle.
“It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run.”
Balmoral housekeeper Sheena Stuart also stated on BBC1’s Countryfile that Prince Philip loved putting on a spread with his wife when he was alive.
“The Duke, he cooks, the Queen sets up the table. There are no staff that come out to serve,” she commented.
The Queen is expected to be heading up to Balmoral soon in August.
This is because the property issued a closure statement on Thursday explaining that the property will shut its doors on August 2.
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