Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to attend Royal Variety Performance

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be entertained by Sir Rod Stewart, Robbie Williams and a host of stars when they attend this year’s Royal Variety Performance.

William and Kate will enjoy the show from the London Palladium theatre’s royal box – a night in aid of the Royal Variety Charity.

The evening will be hosted by comics Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan and will include performances from the cast of Mary Poppins, Lewis Capaldi, Mabel and a special collaboration by Emeli Sande and Manchester’s Bee Vocal Choir.

Money raised from the show will be donated to the Royal Variety Charity, which helps hundreds of entertainers throughout the UK who need support and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times.

The origins of the Royal Variety Performance date back to 1912, when King George V and Queen Mary agreed to attend a Royal Command Performance at the Palace Theatre in London, in aid of the Variety Artistes’ Benevolent Fund.

In July 1919, the second royal show was performed and was the first to be billed a Royal Variety Performance.

Held at London’s Coliseum, the show was staged as a “celebration of peace” and, as the official announcement expressed it, “had been commanded by the king to show his appreciation of the generous manner in which artistes of the variety stage had helped the numerous funds connected with the war”.

William and Kate will meet a number of performers before and after the show as well as Royal Variety Charity executives.