Exclusive: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis receive ‘very special’ invite
The Prince and Princess of Wales’s children are in for a very special surprise this Christmas, as it has been revealed that Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, have been invited to watch Paddington The Musical.
The West End production is a highly anticipated stage spin-off of the much-loved bear who famously shared a marmalade sandwich with the late Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. A staple of British culture, Paddington became a widely used symbol of tribute to the late monarch following her death.
© ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST/ BAV MEDIAQueen Elizabeth II took part in a legendary sketch with the fictional bear to mark her Platinum Jubilee
A very special invite
Speaking to HELLO! exclusively from the red carpet of the theatre show, producer Sonia Friedman said: “We can’t wait for Paddington to meet the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales because I think they’re going to come to the show, which will be very special.”
When asked if the royal children would be coming soon, Sonia, who is known for productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, added: “We’re hoping so!”
© UK Press via Getty ImagesLouis, George and Charlotte are in for a very special performance
WATCH: The Princess of Wales reveals George, Louis and Charlotte will be ‘very sad’ to miss out on Paddington at the Royal Variety show
Reflecting on the project, Sonia added: “We’re very happy. We’re very proud. It’s taken hundreds and hundreds of people and many years to get to this point, and we’re handing it over to the audience now, so it feels great.”
This will not be the first time that Prince William and Princess Kate have seen a glimpse of the show, as the royal couple watched a number from Paddington: The Musical from their private box during the Royal Variety Performance on 19 November.
When asked about receiving a royal seal of approval, producer Eliza Lumley said: “Paddington is an institution – it feels like a British institution – so for one to meet the other was an iconic moment.”
© Getty ImagesThe Prince and Princess of Wales met Paddington Bear at the Royal Variety Performance in November
A Royal Variety seal of approval
Meanwhile, McFly singer Tom Fletcher, who wrote the original music and lyrics for the show, said: “I have invited [the Prince and Princess of Wales] to see the show, so who knows. Hopefully, at some point, they’ll make it to a theatre to see it.”
Reflecting on the Royal Variety performance, which is scheduled to air on ITV on Sunday 21 December 2025, Tom shared: “I got to introduce Paddington to their Royal Highnesses, which was quite a surreal moment.
© ShutterstockPrince William and the Princess of Wales watched from their private box
“They seemed to really enjoy it – we got to perform a tiny little peek of the show at the Royal Variety, and it went down very well, so I’m hoping it gets the same reaction tonight.”
Tom Fletcher’s royal encounters
This isn’t the first time Tom has been lucky enough to meet members of the royal family. “We’ve met the royal family a number of times,” he explained.
“One of my favorite moments was our first ever Royal Variety Performance with McFly, and it was meeting Her Majesty the Queen.
© Getty ImagesThe band met William and Kate back in 2023 at the Royal Variety show
“And you’re not meant to speak to the Queen unless she speaks to you first, which my bandmate, Danny, forgot in the heat of the moment and just casually started having a conversation.
“And she was very lovely and sweet, and had a lovely conversation with him in turn. So that was probably one of my favourite memories.”
Paddington The Musical opens at the Savoy Theatre this winter and brings Michael Bond’s beloved character to the stage in a new adventure featuring original music by Tom Fletcher. The production is led by Sonia Friedman Productions and has been billed as one of the West End’s most anticipated family shows of the year.
