Celebrity MasterChef star Eric Underwood has recalled how King Charles and Queen Camilla once made him panic. The Royal Ballet alum shared that the awkward encounter happened just weeks after he moved to the UK. Underwood, who performed in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II during his ballet career, has since moved into presenting and charity work.
Celebrity MasterChef star Eric Underwood recalls awkward encounter with King Charles and Queen Camilla
Eric Underwood revealed that he panicked when he first met King Charles and Queen Camilla. The Celebrity MasterChef contestant was introduced to the royal pair at Highgrove in Gloucestershire during a company visit.
At the time, in 2006, Underwood had only been in the UK for a few weeks. The 42-year-old shared that he didn’t know royal protocol and felt flustered over how to behave and what to say.
Speaking to Hello! Magazine, the retired Royal Ballet dancer said, “I didn’t know what to say. I panicked and said, ‘It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you’.” He continued, laughing as he added, “And then I ran to a corner. I haven’t met them since. I’d love to redeem myself.”
Twenty years on, Underwood has become firmly embedded in British culture. He has befriended Kate Moss, presented coverage of Royal Ascot, and now relishes life on a 500-year-old, 300-acre farm in the Chilterns with his husband, British venture capitalist Harry Briggs.
Reflecting on the nine years since he left the Royal Ballet, the former soloist said, “I don’t miss it at all. Sometimes, when I’m working with charities, I’ll teach the kids a little bit of dance, but I don’t miss dancing at all.”
Eric Underwood is currently competing in the latest season of Celebrity MasterChef, where he is facing judges Grace Dent and Giorgio Locatelli in a series of tough challenges, including a blindfolded taste test.
Tuesday, August 25, marked the start of the second week of heats for the BBC cooking competition. In a teaser from the episode, Locatelli is seen telling the contestants: “Since this challenge is about the palate and the palate only, you will be doing this blindfolded.”
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi on Mandatory.
