There were jokes all round when Prince Charles met TV presenters Ant and Dec at the Prince's Trust Awards on Tuesday night – and it wasn't the comic duo who provided the quips. During his speech, Charles referred to Ant and Dec's re-released charity single, Let's Get Ready to Rhumble. "They seem to have discovered the secret of eternal youth. I suspect it must be all that rhumbling they do," he said, adding: "Anyway, I hope they keep rhumbling on."
Ant and Dec, the night's hosts, looked delighted to be joining Charles at the Prince's Trust Awards ceremony. The annual event gives the royal a chance to meet young people whose success has been guided by his flagship charity. The Prince's Trust is just one of the organisations the presenters-turned-pop-stars lend their profile to. Speaking of their music revival, Ant revealed that all proceeds from Let's Get Ready to Rhumble will be donated to a good cause. "People are still buying the track, so we've just decided that any money we make out of it will be put towards ChildLine, as we're patrons of that," he told BBC Radio 2. Other stars joining Ant and Dec at the Prince's Trust gala included Homeland actor Damian Lewis, cyclist Victoria Pendleton and Dame Helen Mirren, who is currently playing the Queen in the West End play, The Audience. "I have a feeling that Dame Helen Mirren should really be putting on a familiar wig in some West End theatre now," Prince Charles quipped from the stage after handing out awards to his young protégés.
It was the second encounter with royalty for Olympic medallist Victoria Pendleton, who had received a CBE from the Queen earlier in the day. The retired cyclist had arrived straight from Buckingham Palace and was still wearing the stylish cape she chose for the Investiture ceremony. Many high-profile celebrities are passionate supporters of the Prince's Trust, which is Charles's flagship charity. The organisation's Enterprise Scheme, which champions youth development and entrepreneurship, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the heir to the throne penned an open letter in which he urged people to invest in youth. Writing in the Telegraph, the royal said he founded his Trust because young people's "talent can be wasted and unfulfilled". He added: "It is heartening to know that these young people have created jobs and livelihoods for themselves with support from my Trust and, in some instances, employment and wages for others living in their communities too."
