Why is the Queen banned from dancing at the Royal Albert Hall?

Virgin Radio

13 Jan 2022, 10:44

This 150-year-old rule stops One from busting a move at the legendary venue. 

It’s unlikely any of us will reach Royal Box status at the Royal Albert Hall, but just in case, remember this one rule. 

According to the CEO of the venue, Craig Hassall, no one, not even the royal family, is allowed to dance in the Royal Box, and that rather strict rule has been in place since at least the 1870s. 

Craid told The Mirror: "It’s in the constitution, you are not allowed."

While the Queen has always followed that particular rule, it has come close to being broken at least once, and by another very famous figure. 

The late Nelson Mandela almost had the Royal Albert Hall clutching their pearls when he attended a concert there in 1996 during a four-day state visit. 

The Two Nations Celebrate concert saw the likes of Phil Collins, Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones perform, and with a line-up like that, we can imagine how hard it would’ve been not to start dancing. 

The gig raised money for the Prince’s Trust, and was also attended by Prince Charles and Nelson Mandela’s daughter Zenani Mandela-Dlamini. 

According to the paper, Artistic Director at the Royal Albert Hall Lucy Noble revealed all to the RocknRoll Business podcast. She said: “It was a complete party atmosphere – the whole Royal Albert hall was up dancing.

“But there is this policy in the Queen’s box that you can’t dance. They were all sat there. But Nelson Mandela gets up and does this really cool dancing.

“Then the Queen stood up and held her handbag and just stood there. It was hilarious, that moment.”

In more royally surprising news, earlier this week, we revealed the Queen’s favourite fast food, and apparently, the Queen loves a good hamburger! 

The one thing it seems the monarch will not go near, however, is pizza. During his 15-year career in the royal kitchen, former royal chef Darren O’Grady said he never once saw pizza being served.