Roman Kemp, son of Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp, has shared details about his family’s unexpected friendship with the Princess of Wales. The future Queen visited the Kemp household after connecting with Roman to discuss a mental health initiative he had been leading.
Following a Zoom call with the former I’m A Celebrity contestant—who came third on the show in 2019 and is now a host on The One Show—Kate Middleton arranged to visit Martin and Shirlie Kemp’s home to film with Roman, much to his parents’ delight.
During the visit, Roman revealed that the Princess was thoughtful enough to remove her shoes upon entering, and she was later given some of the Kemp family’s homemade apple juice—a treat that proved particularly popular with Prince George.
Reflecting on the visit, Roman Kemp said: “So my mum rushed to get a bunch of nice things together, and suddenly the future Queen was having tea and biscuits with her and my dad!
“I remember when she arrived, she noticed everyone else had taken their shoes off, so she offered to take hers off too. It was surreal—you never expect to see a member of the Royal Family in their socks!”
He added that Martin and Shirlie gifted Kate a bottle of their homemade apple juice from the garden. Weeks later, the Princess sent them a thank-you letter, noting that Prince George had been asking for more.
Martin Kemp shot to fame in the 1980s as a member of Spandau Ballet before making a name for himself in film and television, with roles in The Krays and EastEnders. Recently, the musician and actor surprised his fellow contestants on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! by revealing that he had once been in contention to play James Bond.
“I was up for James Bond, I met Barbara Broccoli,” he shared around the campfire. “Did that in my youth,” he added, leaving his campmates astonished at his encounter with the famous 007 producer.
Off-screen, Martin has been happily married to Shirlie Kemp—of 1980s duo Pepsi & Shirlie—since 1988. The couple have two children, Roman and Harley Moon Kemp, who are both appearing in the current series of Celebrity Race Across The World. In recent episodes, Roman has candidly discussed his mental health, continuing his work to raise awareness and support for those struggling.