Giggling Charlotte steals show as she dances to Encanto and conducts band on Wales visit

4 June 2022, 17:26 | Updated: 4 June 2022, 17:33

Princess Charlotte has stolen the show during her surprise trip to Wales, dancing along to Encanto as she conducted an orchestra.

The seven-year-old joined her older brother, George, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in what was the siblings' first official outing in Wales.

The pair impressed crowds at Cardiff Castle with their music and technical skills during rehearsals for a Platinum Jubilee concert set to take place in the grounds.

Charlotte, seven, who wore a smart navy frock coat and blue Mary Jane shoes with white ankle socks, was offered a chance to lead the orchestra in a rendition of We Don't Talk About Bruno from the Disney film Encanto.

As the musicians burst into tune, Charlotte beamed, turning to her mother, Kate, excitedly.

The duchess, who was dressed in a long red coat by Eponine and earrings by Welsh jewellery designer Spells of Love, also had a shot at conducting and laughed and danced while she tried to find the right rhythm to Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond.

It comes as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations with different members of the working royal family using the extended bank holiday as an opportunity to visit the devolved nations.

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George, who is one day expected to be given the title the Prince of Wales, took the lead in the technical booth, taking full advantage of the opportunity to play with the sound and lighting decks by asking what all the buttons mean.

The royal family joked and smiled as they took turns with the various switches, laughing as the young prince chose to turn the volume up high.

William often had his arm around the eight year old, who wore a mini-me version of his father's blue suit and open-necked shirt, as they chatted to performers and later to crowds of royal fans.

Often encouraging his younger sister to take part, George could also be seen leaning on her shoulder as they watched the Wales Youth Choir for Good practice.

It comes after the duo's younger brother Louis - who did not join the family on the trip - stole the limelight at the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Thursday.

The prince stood next to the Queen, known affectionately as "Gan Gan" to the Cambridge children, and pointed at planes, waved at the pilots, stuck his fingers in his mouth and pulled a funny face.

When asked by members of the public where Louis was on Saturday, William said he is too young for such visits, saying: "He's still only four."

The Cambridges were there to meet performers and crew involved in the special Platinum Jubilee Celebration Concert taking place at the castle.

High Sheriff of Cardiff, Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds, who was among the welcome party, said: "The children were lovely and if you think of how young they are, to be suddenly thrust into meeting lots of different people, they were impeccably behaved - although it was still nice to see them being children when playing with all the lights and things."

On their tour, the family met those headlining the evening concert, including Bonnie Tyler, who was last week made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to music.

They also spoke with drumming weatherman Owain Wyn Evans, who regaled them on the drums after Kate complimented his sparkly silver boots and gold-glittered blazer.

Singers and hosts of the show, Aled Jones and Shan Cothi, also greeted the royal party before they spoke with workers from charity Shelter Cymru who are raising money at the event.

The four then got to greet hundreds of people who had waited for them behind barriers lining the inside and outside of the castle grounds, including members of a local navy cadet group, a girls rugby team and dancers from an Indian classical dance troupe based in Cardiff.