Royal protocol doesn’t require going to a rave, but that didn’t stop the Princess of Wales from attending her first concert as a royal over the weekend.
Kate Middleton is believed to have attended the annual Houghton Festival held at the royal-owned Houghton Hall estate in Norfolk after dining with the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley.
Held in the idyllic grounds of a stately mansion, with sculpted gardens and a picturesque lake, the festival has a distinctly upper-class ambiance. Attendees can enjoy a glass of Pimms English Sangria or Prosecco while enjoying the music and panoramic views of the property.
The festival specializes in electronic music, featuring BBC Radio 6 Music regular AfroDutch, renowned DJ Fumiya Tanaka, whose career spans 15 years, and London DJ Call Super. Willow Smith, singer and daughter of Hollywood stars Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith, is one of the top DJs and artists to feature in the past.
Apparently, the princess wanted to give competition to her husband, the Prince of Wales, who was seen among attendees at Coco nightclub in Camden in June.
He was apparently accompanied by David and Rose Cholmondeley (née Hanbury). The family has had close ties to British royalty since the title was created for George Cholmondeley in 1815.
David and Rose live at Houghton Hall in Norfolk, only four miles from Prince William and Kate’s country retreat, Anmer Hall. Kate was attending a dinner with the couple at the weekend when the suggestion was reportedly made that they take part in the festivities, which are being held on a 1,000-acre estate surrounding the historic Palladian mansion. The estate was built in the 1720s for Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
a source of Independent It is confirmed that Kate attended the dinner at Houghton Hall.
He daily Mail A source is quoted as saying: “After dinner, one of the guests suggested that Catherine (Kate) go to the celebration.”
“Catherine was horrified at the idea, but after several discussions with her security agents, she left very safely. William wasn’t there.”
The four-day Houghton Festival originated after it was launched in 2017 by DJ Craig Richards. It features over 200 artists performing across 13 venues, including regulars such as The Ghost, Hiroto, Dee Tiffany, Ben UFO and Richards himself.
Princess’ interest in electronic music may surprise some fans, as she has previously suggested that she leans more towards classical music and mainstream pop.
Kate, who plays the piano, is believed to be a fan of Leona Lewis and Ellie Goulding. At their wedding reception, Golding sang her own version of Elton John’s “Your Song” for Kate and William’s first dance, and has since performed at various royal couple-related events, including award ceremonies. Prince’s Earthshot in Boston last year.
The mother of three has asked both Lewis and Golding to sing at the 2021 Christmas carol service she is hosting at Westminster Abbey, titled Royal Carols: Together at Christmas. Her penchant for pop music also appears to have rubbed off on her two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were seen dancing to singers such as Katy Perry and Take That at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III.
Houghton Hall, a Grade I listed building, has been the seat of the Cholmondeleys since 1797, after Walpole’s death. The estate passed to the family of his sister, Lady Mary, Countess of Cholmondeley, who married George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley.
Cholmondeley has been close to the royal family for many years. At the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in May, the couple’s 13-year-old son, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, was a page of honor alongside William and Kate’s eldest son, nine-year-old Prince George.
While William didn’t attend the festivities, he was recently spotted serving veggie burgers from a street food truck to unsuspecting diners with ingredients and packaging from his Earthshot Award winners.
Independent Kensington Palace and Houghton Festival have been contacted for comment.
translation of Michelle Padilla