In a surprising revelation that bridges the worlds of royalty and celebrity, Martin Kemp's secret friendship with the Princess of Wales has been brought to light, alongside the charmingly simple gift that won over the future queen.
The Unexpected Royal Meeting
The extraordinary connection between the Kemp family and royalty began through their son, Roman Kemp, who found himself at the centre of an unexpected royal request. The Princess of Wales initiated contact with Roman to discuss a mental health project he had been championing, leading to an initial Zoom conversation.
Following their virtual meeting, Kate expressed interest in visiting Roman's home for filming related to their mental health collaboration. However, in a twist that would bring royalty to his parents' doorstep, Roman suggested they instead meet at the home of his famous parents - 80s icon Martin Kemp and his wife Shirlie Holliman.
A Surreal Family Afternoon
Roman described the preparations for the royal visit, revealing that his mother "raced out and got a load of nice things in" to ensure everything was perfect for their distinguished guest. The scene that unfolded was something straight out of a fantasy, as Roman recounted: "Suddenly the future Queen is having tea and biscuits with her and my dad!"
The Princess of Wales immediately demonstrated her down-to-earth nature upon arrival. "I remember when she arrived she could see everyone else had taken their shoes off so she offered to take hers off," Roman told The Sun. "It was surreal, somehow you never expect to see a member of the Royal Family in their socks!"
The Homemade Royal Gift
In a gesture that perfectly captured the Kemp family's warm hospitality, Martin and Shirlie presented the Princess with a bottle of their homegrown apple juice, pressed from apples grown in their own back garden.
The simple yet thoughtful gift made a significant impression at the highest levels of the royal household. Weeks after the visit, the Princess wrote the Kemps a heartfelt thank-you letter that contained an adorable revelation - Prince George had been asking for more of the homemade juice.
Kate also sent a personal note to Roman, which he admitted holds such sentimental value that he has hung it on his wall at home as a cherished memento of their extraordinary encounter.
Martin's Revealing Jungle Confessions
While Martin Kemp is currently facing challenges in the Australian jungle on I'm A Celebrity, he recently stunned both campmates and viewers with a revelation about his acting career. The 64-year-old star disclosed that he had lost out on the iconic role of James Bond to Pierce Brosnan during his youth.
Martin shared that he had met with producer Barbara Broccoli about the legendary spy role, with fellow campmate Kelly Brook later declaring he "would have made a great Bond" thanks to his "beautiful blue eyes" and natural charisma.
Fans on social media enthusiastically agreed, with one writing: "Martin Kemp would have been the sexiest James Bond. I might have finally watched my first James Bond if so," while another declared: "Martin Kemp would have been a top class Bond."
The revelation adds another layer to Martin Kemp's fascinating career, which has spanned music with Spandau Ballet, acting in films like The Krays, and his memorable role as Steve Owen in EastEnders, now culminating in this unexpected royal friendship that continues to capture public imagination.
