Kate Middleton Learns to DJ as Prince William Channels Justin Bieber With His Graffiti Art

Duke of Cambridge jokes that the only way he'll dance is after a "few drinks"

By Zach Johnson Apr 23, 2014 11:59 AMTags
Prince William, Kate MiddletonArthur Edwards - Pool/Getty Images

Kate Middleton and Prince William showed their artistic sides Wednesday.

After flying in to the RAAF Base Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were whisked to the Northern Sound System in Adelaide, Australia, where a crowd of more than 5,000 awaited their arrival. Health Minister Jack Snelling and Elizabeth Mayor Glenn Docherty were the first to greet the couple.

Lauren Stephenson, a 6-year-old girl from the Make-A-Wish foundation, was among the many royal admirers. She spent several minutes chatting with the couple and gave Middleton a floral bouquet.

Prince George's parents enjoyed performances and met with several staff members at the community-run center in Elizabeth, which provides recording equipment and rehearsal spaces for young people. Afterward, Middleton—dressed in Alexander McQueen and L.K. Bennett heels—scratched some vinyl. "It's all yours," William, 31, told his wife, gesturing her to come forward. "William's got lots more experience than I have," Middleton said before testing out the turntables. To her surprise, the 32-year-old fared far better than her husband, who was told by DJ Shane Peterer not to give up his day job. "She was fantastic but he can fly a helicopter," the musician said. "So horses for courses."

In the hip-hop class, William was asked about his musical preferences. "I like house music," he told Marcus Reilly. "I still like a bit of rock and roll and the classics and a bit of R&B." What genre does he avoid? "I'm not a big heavy metal fan," the future King of England revealed. "I'd like to be, but I'm not."

Dancer Angie Kaoschk asked Middleton if William might learn some choreography. "Secretly, he'd love to try," she replied. Her husband laughed and said, "It would take a few drinks to do that." Kaoschk added, "He promised he'll do some popping next time. I think he knows more than he made out."

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The royals then headed outside to watch the Aerosol Angels, a team of local spray painters. Like Justin Bieber did so often in 2013, William couldn't resist adding to the mural. "He did a pretty good job," said group leader Simon Burt. "And he admitted when he'd finished his bit of art work that he was now addicted." He's certainly better at painting than dropping beats. According to another Aerosol Angels member, "He paints very well. He filled in part of the blue sky and didn't go over any of the lines."

Next, the Cambridges watched a BMX and scooter display. Docherty gave the first-time parents a skateboard for their 9-month-old baby boy, which was decorated with boxing kangaroos. The skateboard's designer, Casey Zechef, 16, said it took four days to create the look. The royals were then introduced to 15-year-old BMX-rider Luke Haldenby, who led them up the steps to a viewing platform.

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"I think I was chosen to do it because I know my stuff," Haldenby said of the honor. "I've got my brother to thank for that because he got me into riding—and that's what I told the Duchess."

The Duke and Duchess then unveiled a plaque renaming the forecourt of the Civic Center Prince George Plaza. They entered the reception with Acting Premier John Rau and South Australian Governor Kevin Scarce. Once inside, the royal couple split up and met with local volunteers and students.

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Zoe Stone, who volunteers for the cancer support group Canteen, was one of the lucky people who got to chat with Middleton. "I'm shaking after getting that opportunity to meet her," Stone told reporters afterward. "I was nervous, but she was very lovely and she was very supportive of the organization."

Magill resident Sheila Cooper said Middleton happily agreed to meet her 9-year-old daughter Kerry-Anne, who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. "She asked for my daughter to come out, she greeted my daughter and asked her about her doll. She was really nice," Cooper told reporters.

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The Cambridges' visit was important for Elizabeth, which has the third highest unemployment rate in Australia. The working-class suburb, located north of Adelaide, was named after Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the area in 1963. According to Docherty, their presence improved the city's reputation. "I think it's a good starting block for our community to know that we are doing good things," the mayor explained. "We may get a bad rap at times from parts of the media, but there are so many salt of the earth people, so many young people doing such great work and they were showcased on the world stage today. The Duke and Duchess were very moved by a number of the programs that they saw at Northern Sound System, and they commented that they really enjoyed their trip to Elizabeth today."