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Prince William enjoyed a very special birthday by ringing in his 42nd year at Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The Prince of Wales reportedly enjoyed a special night out. The dad took the two older of his three kids— Princess Charlotte and Prince George—to the singer’s latest gig at Wembley Arena in London.
William and the Kids Got to Meet Swift Backstage
It looks like the Prince of Wales and his kids truly had an unforgettable evening. The three went backstage to meet Taylor Swift and beau Travis Kelce. The pop star even shared a selfie of the five sharing a laugh together.
The family also shared a photo with Swift on Instagram, writing, “Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour.”
The Sunday Times’ royal editor, Roya Nikkhah, was the first to share the news that Wales’ would be in attendance. Many were surprised that the future King of England was taking in the massive concert.
Prince William Is Having a Blast With His Kids
Earlier today, a new photo was released celebrating the dad’s birthday—and his silly side. The photo, said to have been taken by the Princess of Wales this year, shows William holding hands with Charlotte and Louis, who holds George’s hand. The family jump appears to have happened on a beach day.
The same fun and carefree vibe was on display at the concert, where multiple fan videos show the father of three dancing with Charlotte and George to different songs throughout the evening. If there was ever any doubt the future King of England is a Swiftie, that changed at Wembley Arena Friday night.
The Royal Swifties Hinted at Their Attendance Early Friday
Eagle-eyed Swifties believed that there would be some royals in attendance at the event on Friday after the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony. In a fun nod to the singer’s three tour dates in London, “Shake It Off” was incorporated into the ceremony.
They captioned a clip of the moment shared on X, “Changing of the Guard (Taylor’s Version).”
It’s Not Prince William’s First Encounter with Taylor Swift
Believe it or not, Prince William and Taylor Swift have met before. In 2013, both of them attended the Centrepoint Gala Dinner. The London fundraiser at Kensington Palace benefitted a homeless non-profit organization, per TIME.
Bon Jovi was performing when he called Prince William on stage. Citing rumors he enjoys singing “Livin’ On a Prayer” as one of his karaoke picks, Bon Jovi asked the royal to join him for the song. The Prince of Wales was a little flustered. He then asked Swift, who was seated at his table, to join him. Although she hadn’t planned to take the stage, she agreed. They took the stage together to sing the classic with the rocker, in a truly unforgettable moment William has since looked back on.
Prince William admits to being a little overwhelmed. He surprised himself with how he handled the situation, and it went over amazingly with the enthusiastic guests of the evening. It also created a special moment with a major pop star, which certainly helped him earn “cool dad” points with his little ones — even if it was before he was a dad.
To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I’m cringing at what happened next, and I don’t understand why I gave in. But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, ‘Come with me…’ I got up like a puppy and went, ‘Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. I’ll follow you.’ I walked up on stage in a trance, and then sort of halfway through Jon Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ song, I wake up, and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Am I standing on the stage singing…when I don’t even know the words?’”
Prince William, Apple Fitness+’s Time to Walk podcast
Seeing how buttoned-up and serious William has been in recent years, his relaxed demeanor in the video makes it seem like it was so long ago. Hopefully, William will cut loose a little for his birthday and “Shake It Off” with his kids. Royal fans undoubtedly can’t wait to see fan photos from the evening — and find out what Taylor track the Prince of Wales is rocking out to these days.