Long before Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce made their romance Instagram-official with a jaw-dropping royal selfie, the “Blank Space” superstar had already rubbed elbows—and shared a stage—with royalty. Picture this: it’s 2013, and a 34-year-old Swift is at London’s Kensington Palace for a Centrepoint charity gala, dazzling the crowd alongside none other than Prince William and rock legend Jon Bon Jovi. The trio belted out an impromptu rendition of “Livin’ on a Prayer,” a moment so spontaneous that William’s aides later swore it was entirely “off the cuff.” Who knew the future King of England could rock out like that?
Fast forward to 2021, when William spilled the tea on Apple Fitness+’s *Time to Walk* series, confessing, “I can’t believe I’m actually telling this story.” He recounted how he’d arrived at the gala, a longtime supporter of the young homeless charity, expecting a chill evening. “I thought, ‘Jon Bon Jovi’s performing, I’ll grab some food, maybe chat with a few folks—job done,’” he said. But fate had other plans. Seated next to Swift, he was blindsided when she locked eyes with him mid-pause, grabbed his arm, and declared, “Come on, William. Let’s go sing!”
“I still don’t know what possessed me,” he admitted, voice dripping with self-aware cringe. “Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says ‘Come with me’—and suddenly I’m up, trailing her like a lovesick puppy, thinking, ‘Sure, this seems like a brilliant idea!’” The prince, it turns out, is no match for Swift’s charm.
Now, let’s leap to June 21, 2024—William’s 42nd birthday. He’s back in Swift’s orbit, this time at her Eras Tour stop at Wembley Stadium, with two of his kids, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, in tow. The prince was caught on camera busting moves to “Shake It Off,” proving he’s still got that Taylor-inspired groove. The night leveled up when Swift snapped a backstage selfie with William, George, Charlotte, and her beau Travis Kelce—a photo so royally epic it broke the internet. The Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram captioned it, “Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErasTour,” while Swift fired back with her own post: “Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start 🇬🇧🇺🇸🤝 @princeandprincessofwales.”
Oh, and the cherry on top? The royal guard welcomed Swift to London that day with a cheeky rendition of “Shake It Off” outside Buckingham Palace, complete with drums and trumpets. The royal family’s social media quipped, “Can’t stop, won’t stop groovin’🫡🥁🎺.” From impromptu karaoke to viral dance-offs, Taylor Swift and Prince William’s bromance is the crossover we never knew we needed—but now can’t live without.
