Shirley Ballas has let slip that she would be thrilled to see royalty competing on Strictly Come Dancing.
Gracing this week's issue of Woman magazine with her insights, the 63-year-old Strictly judge and icon of the ballroom dancing realm has not shied away from sharing her ultimate dream participant for the hit BBC series.
Having taken over the esteemed judging role from Len Goodman back in 2017, Shirley has now divulged her interest in seeing a Royal appear, and one in particular is a fan of the show, reports the Mirror.
Posed with the question of her top pick, Shirley quipped: "Anybody from the Royal Family or a member of the public - can you cha-cha, darling?"
She was then informed that Princess Anne would like to enter, prompting Shirley to exclaim: "You see? Hold onto your hat! I'm a huge fan of hers."
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In April, it was reported that Princess Anne had confided to dancer Nadiya Bychkova her eagerness to step into the Strictly spotlight, following their encounter at a ballet function.
Nadiya told The Sun that the Princess "wants to go on the show" and is a fan, a sentiment seemingly echoed within the monarchy, with Queen Camilla and the late Queen Elizabeth II also having been admirers.
Yet, for all the allure of the glitz and glam awaiting on the dance floor, Royals have to navigate through a framework of protocols extending from attire to behaviour, encompassing everything from social media to food.
Despite his connections, Mike Tindall, who is wed to Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, took part in I'm A Celebrity in 2022. However, as Anne holds senior Royal status, the expectations might differ.
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Mike's stint on the ITV reality show certainly caught the eye of Shirley, who expressed back in July that he would be "perfect" for the dance competition.
She enthused about her desire to have someone like the former rugby player on the show, praising his "nice shoulder lines" and "good posture" and voiced her belief that he'd be "fantastic" on the dance floor.
Shirley urged: "Come on, Mike, sign up! He would be the perfect candidate, he would be very, very good. He's a competitor."
