Princess Charlotte Had a Special Backstage Experience Orchestrated by Kate

A split image of Zizi Strallen in costume as Mary Poppins and Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte with their heads together at the Commonwealth Games — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte share a love for the arts, and the future Queen frequently brings her kids to experience the London cultural scene. From musicals to ballets and concerts, George, Charlotte and Louis have been treated to some world-class performances, and one West End actress revealed what happened when she met two of the Wales children in 2022.

Speaking to Hello! magazine, Zizi Strallen, who is currently starring as Glinda in the London production of Wicked, shared that the Princess of Wales made a sweet request on behalf of Charlotte when Strallen was starring as Mary Poppins on the West End.

"Kate brought Prince George and Princess Charlotte to see Mary Poppins,” the actress said. “They came backstage and she said to me: 'Would it be okay for Charlotte to have a cuddle with Mary Poppins?' I was like: 'Yes!' She wanted to hug me, which was really cute.”

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Princess Kate talking to Zizi Strallen and stars at the Royal Variety Performance — Zizi Strallen (center, in blue) meets Princess Kate at the 2019 Royal Variety Performance.

Zizi Strallen and Emma Kingston in their costumes from the musical Wicked — Strallen (left) is currently starring as Glinda in *Wicked*.

Strallen added that she had another royal-adjacent visit the same day when Sir David Beckham turned up to a performance with his family. "It was a surreal day, because they came in the afternoon, and then David Beckham and Victoria came in the evening with [their children] Harper, Romeo and Cruz," she shared.

Her encounter with Princess George and Princess Charlotte wasn't the first time Strallen met royalty. In 2019, the actress had the chance to speak with Princess Kate for the first time during the Royal Variety Performance, but Strallen said her three sisters—who are all West End stars themselves—make fun of her for her reaction.

"My sisters take the mickey out of me for this, because there’s a video of me meeting Kate at the Royal Variety Performance in 2019; I'm dressed as Mary Poppins, and as she walks away, I do the most awkward little-girl wave," Strallen admitted. "I was bowled over by how tall, statuesque and stunning she was, and she and William were so normal."

Perhaps Charlotte can get another hug if she sees Wicked this holiday season.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.