DARCEY TAKES A SPIN

Join former ballerina Darcey Bussell as she visits some of the Queen’s favourite spots in the UK

Having danced for members of the royal family on numerous occasions, former Royal Ballet dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell is the perfect person to explore the places around the country that the Queen holds dear.

In Darcey Bussell’s Royal Road Trip, we’ll see her travel from the Scottish Highlands to London and from the Norfolk Broads to the Welsh borders.

And she’ll be meeting some interesting characters along the way – including a horse whisperer and a Scottish caber-tossing champion.

“It was a really touching adventure,” Darcey says. “I met a lot of contributors who have been so positively affected by the Queen’s generosity and got to hear about those personal interactions, and also the things that she holds dear in her life, away from the formal events.”

Here, Darcey, 53, reveals her highlights from the series and describes her own experience of a royal tradition…

Hi, Darcey! Your new series uncovers some royal secrets. Do you have a favourite?

I loved going to The Goring Hotel – getting to find out some of the secrets was great fun. They call it the back annexe to Buckingham Palace, the secret spot for the royal family and their friends, so it was really special to get insights from David Morgan-hewitt, who is the managing director there.

You visit Braemar, home to the Highland Games…

We met caber-tossing champion Kyle [Randalls, right] and I loved hearing about how the traditions are so important. It was lovely to realise that I could partake and toss a smaller version of the caber, as you have to be very strong to do the real thing.

Was the Highland dancing as tricky as it looks?

The last time I learned Scottish dancing to that level was when I was a child, so it had been

a long time! In Scotland it’s still a tradition and you learn it at school, which is brilliant. I wasn’t really given any warning, so it was hilarious to be thrown into it.

You also visit Ascot.

Why do you think the

Queen loves horse racing there so much?

There’s a palpable buzz and sense of excitement in the air for everyone who attends. It wouldn’t be the betting or the picking of a potential winner – the Queen’s love is seeing her horses in action. For the Queen, this is not just a passion, this is a complete lifelong love.