The Royal Academy of Dance celebrated a special moment in its history with a new photograph of Queen Camilla.
The academy shared the image as it announced that Christopher Wheeldon OBE had been featured in the landmark 100th episode of its Why Dance Matters series.
Queen Camilla had presented Wheeldon with the prestigious QEII Award – the Royal Academy of Dance’s highest honour just a day earlier.
In the special episode, the celebrated choreographer and director reflects on his remarkable journey through the world of dance, from his early years as a professional performer to becoming an award-winning creative force behind some of ballet’s most acclaimed productions.
Camilla first became Vice-Patron of the RAD in 2020, serving alongside Queen Elizabeth II, who had been the organisation’s Patron for almost seven decades, from 1953 until her death in 2022.
Over the years, the Queen has taken on a number of engagements for the academy.
She formally opened its headquarters in 2022 and later presented the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award to ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov during a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
She has also championed the RAD’s Silver Swans initiative, which encourages people over the age of 55 to take up and enjoy dance.
RAD Chief Executive Tim Arthur said the organisation was delighted to welcome her as its Patron, praising her continued support and her enthusiasm for initiatives such as Silver Swans.
2026-09-04 21:30:00
