Queen jokes about ‘outperforming’ ballet dancers

The Queen joked that she would “outperform” dancers at the English National Ballet company after she was gifted a pair of pumps during a reception at Buckingham Palace.

Camilla was handed a pair of baby pink shoes worn by ballerina Sangeun Lee during an event to mark 75 years of the company.

The royal is a keen dancer herself and does Silver Swans lessons for seniors, which she is said to take “very seriously”.

The Queen, who became royal patron of English National Ballet in 2024, hosted the event in the Centre Room at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Camilla heard speeches from key figures in the ballet company and watched a performance of The Dying Swan by dancer Ms Lee.

Speaking after the performance, Ms Lee said: “It was such an amazing experience to perform here.”

Ms Lee said this was her first time performing at Buckingham Palace, describing it as a “very, very unique” experience.

The dancer added: “Her Majesty the Queen is Royal patron of the English National Ballet, and this is our 75th anniversary so it’s just a great honour to celebrate the company’s anniversary.

“I think she was quite moved and she was mesmerised over the performance. It’s an honour.”

English National Ballet was founded in 1950.

Keira Hashimoto, 16, from English National Ballet’s youth dance company, presented Camilla with a pair of pink ballet pumps during the reception.

The shoes were signed by Ms Lee and had “dying swan” written on them.

Describing the “exhilarating” moment she passed them to Camilla, Keira said: “She made a joke saying that she would wear them and she would outperform everyone, which I found amazing.”

The Queen, who was wearing a blue crepe dress, also chatted with Angela Rippon and Dame Arlene Phillips during the event.

Rippon, who was the chairwoman of the English National Ballet from 2000 to 2003, said Camilla told her that she was “the person who introduced her to doing ballet”.

“I persuaded her to become a silver and she takes her classes very seriously,” she added.

Rippon said she and the Queen discussed how dancing is a “brilliant way of getting fit”.

Describing the performance by Ms Lee, Rippon said: “I mean, not a dry eye in the house, how wonderful.

“The music is wonderful, the performance was superb, and it is very moving.”

Dame Arlene said she and Camilla discussed how “phenomenal” the English National Ballet company is.

They discussed how music and movement are “life saving” for physical and mental health.

The former Strictly judge added: “It is like medicine, it should be on the NHS.”

Philips recalled a “touching” moment with the Queen during a past event where she told her she was going to be “missed” from Strictly after she was let go from the BBC show in 2009.