When it comes to impressing guests at an event, pulling out a party trick is usually the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Whether showcasing a hidden talent or showing off a skill honed over years, there is never a dull moment when party tricks enter the mix.
Moonwalking, matchstick puzzles, ear wiggling, crafty coin sleight of hand, karaoke performances, or signature dance moves, the list goes on. Yet few realise that several members of the British royal family boast their own impressive repertoire of party tricks.
As Halloween approaches and the festive party season looms on the horizon, join HELLO! as we explore some of the very best royal party tricks.
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Our OG party prince, King Charles, has a passion for many things – magic included. Back in 1975, the monarch performed a sleight-of-hand Cups and Balls routine which later gained him entry into the secretive Magic Circle.
Prince Charles performs his first conjuring trick in public to gain his membership to the Magic Circle (@ Getty Images)
It was his first time performing the trick in public! Thankfully, Charles’ conjuring skills went down a treat with curious onlookers. In his report for the December 1975 issue of The Magic Circular, Alan Snowden wrote of His Majesty: “His natural charm and personality enthralled as he continued his performance.”
Charles was encouraged to apply for membership of the society by his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten. To this day, Charles remains an Honorary Life Member and a Member of the Inner Magic Circle.
Prince William’s gravity-defying skills
The Prince of Wales has a secret knack for juggling. And back in 2020, Prince William proved an absolute hoot when he showcased his gravity-defying skills during a meeting with Galway Community Circus performers, local artists and young musicians.
Prince William showed off his juggling skills during a visit to Galway (@ Getty Images)
He notably had his wife, Princess Catherine, cast under a spell, with the royal mother-of-three clapping with joy as William deftly tossed two balls into the air. When a third ball was introduced, however, things got a little more challenging… With some extra practice, we don’t doubt that the Prince will soon be able to level up his impressive juggling skills.
Mike Tindall’s illusions
Former England rugby player Mike Tindall shares an incredibly close bond with the royal family, to the point where he feels comfortable pulling off entertaining illusions. Back in 2019, he famously made the late Queen chuckle with laughter at Royal Ascot.
Mike’s charming antics never fail to impress (@ Getty Images)
In a bid to impress, Mike was photographed removing his dapper top hat to reveal a miniature chocolate hat. He then swiftly placed the teeny headpiece back inside his top hat and proceeded to continue as normal. Take a look in the video below…
“It is a chocolate hat that I am taking home for my daughter Mia. I was given it at lunch, but it is really annoying to store in a pocket, so I decided to put it in my top hat instead,” he told The Telegraph’s royal correspondent Camilla Tominey at the time.
Zara Tindall’s singing talents
It’s no secret that Zara Tindallis an accomplished rider, but did you know that Princess Anne’s daughter also has a knack for karaoke?
Princess Anne’s daughter is the unofficial queen of karaoke (@ Getty Images)
Back in 2019, the royal attended a charity golf tournament at the Celtic Manor in Wales. During the weekend event, Zara revealed her incredible vocal skills as she took part in karaoke, singing Paul Simon’s huge hit, ‘You Can Call Me Al’. And the fun didn’t end there… Zara’s husband Mike also took to the stage later that evening to perform a rousing rendition of Robbie Williams’ ‘Angels’.
The late Queen
In her youth, Queen Elizabeth II was renowned for her remarkable mimicking and acting abilities. Indeed, the late monarch was so enthralled with doing impressions that she desperately wanted to become an impersonator!
Speaking on HELLO!’sA Right Royal Podcast, Gyles Brandreth explained: “Florence Desmond was a female impersonator. And in the 1930s and 1940s, she was famous on the radio doing impersonations of people like Mae West, Barletta…
The late Queen as ‘Prince Salvador’ in the Christmas production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at Windsor Castle (@ Getty Images)
“And Queen Elizabeth II, or she was then Princess Elizabeth, living in Windsor Castle, thought, ‘Ooh, this is what I’d like to be. I’d like to be an impressionist.’
“And the Queen, then as a teenager, began doing impressions. And she said to me, ‘Oh, I can still do George Formby’. And there and then the Queen picked up an imaginary ukulele, began strumming it and singing ‘When I’m Cleaning Windows’ in a perfect Lancashire accent.
“And she could do regional accents from all over the country… She could also do things. She could do objects, she could do horses. She could do different breeds of horses… She could do Concorde landing over Windsor Castle. The noise of the aeroplane approaching, the gears changing, the wheels coming down the whole roar of it. She could do the whole kit and caboodle.”