From Princess Beatrice at the Lionesses' parade to Queen Elizabeth's big VE Day night out, all the times royals have gone incognito and tried to blend in with the crowd

Daily Mail​

30-07-2025

They are some of the most photographed people in the world - so it's no wonder it's immensely difficult for members of the British Royal Family to successfully go incognito at events.
Yet it doesn't stop Queens, princes and princesses, as well as Duke and Duchesses from doing their best to blend into the crowd when attending busy occasions sometimes.
For instance, yesterday, Princess Beatrice, the King's niece and ninth in line to the throne, joined 65,000 Lionesses fans at their Euros victory parade in London.
The Duke and Duchess of York's daughter was joined in giving her support by husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their baby daughter Athena.
Beatrice gave birth to her and Edoardo's second daughter on January 22, with the couple shielding their newborn - dressed in an adorable, baby pink onesie - from cameras.
The parents were also joined by their older daughter, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, three, who appeared unfazed by the large gathering as she waved England's flag while enjoying a sweet treat during her most public appearance yet.
In one sweet moment, Beatrice was seen leaning over to talk to Wolfie, Edoardo's eight-year-old son with his former fiancee, architect Dara Huang, who the King's niece often refers to as her 'bonus child'.
Beatrice appeared to be following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who also once escaped the royal cocoon to party among her future subjects for VE Day in 1945.
Read on to discover more times when royals have gone incognito and tried to blend in with the crowd...
PRINCESS BEATRICE AT LIONESSES' EURO VICTORY PARADE
Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi shared a rare glimpse of their blended family as the royal couple joined Lionesses fans at their Euros victory parade in London yesterday.
The King's niece, 36, and her husband made their way to the British capital to watch the European champions lift their hard-earned trophy - as a 65,000-strong crowd cheered along the length of the Mall alongside them.
The Lionesses waved at onlookers from atop one of two buses as they travelled down the thoroughfare - with the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson also joining in the celebrations.
The royal looked lovingly at her baby daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, who was safely fastened to her father's chest.
Beatrice gave birth to her and Edoardo's second daughter on January 22, with the couple shielding their newborn - dressed in an adorable, baby pink onesie - from cameras.
Edoardo and Beatrice's older daughter, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, three, however, appeared unfazed by the large gathering as she waved England's flag while enjoying a sweet treat during her most public appearance yet.
Beatrice pulled her hair back into a messy bun and dressed for cooler weather in London as she paired a cream sweater with a blue, floral print skirt from Farm Rio
In one sweet moment, Beatrice was seen leaning over to talk to Wolfie, Edoardo's eight-year-old son with his former fiancee, architect Dara Huang.
Beatrice often refers to Wolfie as her 'bonus child' who is frequently seen at royal events and family gatherings, including Christmas celebrations at Sandringham and the Princess of Wales's 2024 carol concert.
The family was casually dressed as Princess Beatrice went makeup-free for the victory parade after Sarina Wiegman's side thumped Spain 3-1 on penalties in the nail-biting final on Sunday, July 27.
Beatrice pulled her hair back into a messy bun and dressed for cooler weather in London as she paired a cream sweater with a blue, floral print maxi skirt from Farm Rio and a pair of red Mary Jane flats from the brand Lollipop Red.
Sienna was matching with her baby sister, as the toddler was dressed in a pink t-shirt - with an adorable bow clipped to her blonde hair.
Prior to today's appearance, Sienna's family has only shown the back of her head in public posts and birthday announcements.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S VE NIGHT OUT
On 8 May, 1945, Queen Elizabeth II joined in one of the greatest celebrations in our history - VE Day.
That night was particularly remarkable for the 19-year-old Princess Elizabeth. It was the only known occasion when she escaped the royal cocoon and partied among her future subjects.
Her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, let the future monarch and her sister Princess Margaret, then just 14, leave the palace in a group of 16 including the Hon Margaret Rhodes, the Queen's first cousin, and Jean Woodroffe, her lady-in-waiting.
The group also included Lord Porchester, later to become the Queen's racing manager, and Peter Townsend, the king's equerry who caused a national crisis a decade later when, as a divorcé, he won the heart of Princess Margaret.
The two princesses slipped easily into the crowd – Princess Elizabeth was in her Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform (having become a mechanic and driver in the ATS in February 1945) and Margaret was in smart civilian clothes.
The late Queen's recollections of her VE Day celebrations as 'one of the most memorable nights of my life' were shared by Buckingham Palace to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe.
Her late Majesty recorded an interview for the BBC Radio 4 programme The Way We Were for the 40th anniversary on May 8 1985.
In archive audio which appeared on the Royal Family's social media channels, the Queen can be heard recounting how, as a 19-year-old, she joined thousands of other revellers after slipping into the crowds outside Buckingham Palace unnoticed.
'We cheered the king and queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the streets,' the Queen said, explaining: 'I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.'
The late monarch recalled: 'My sister and I realised we couldn't see what the crowds were enjoying.
'My mother had put her tiara on for the occasion, so we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised.'
She revealed how they 'cheated' to make sure their parents appeared on the balcony to their shouts of 'We want the King.'
'We were successful in seeing my parents on the balcony, having cheated slightly because we sent a message into the house to say we were waiting outside,' the Queen said. 'I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life'.
Under the cover of darkness, the royal teenagers went unrecognised in the crowd. They sang in jubilation, did the Hokey Cokey and also danced the conga through the Ritz hotel in nearby Piccadilly.
The Queen was in uniform on the day and told how she pulled her cap 'well down over my eyes' to stop herself being recognised. But she added she was reprimanded by a fellow officer.
'A Grenadier officer amongst our party of about 16 people said he refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed, so I had to put my cap on normally,' she said.
As part of the official celebrations in 1945, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth made eight appearances on the palace balcony in 10 hours - on one occasion accompanied by prime minister Winston Churchill.
Elizabeth and Margaret themselves appeared six times with their parents throughout the day and evening.
The Queen said: 'I remember the thrill and relief after the previous day's waiting for the prime minister's announcement of the end of the war in Europe.
'My parents went out on the balcony in response to the huge crowds outside. I think we went on the balcony nearly every hour, six times.'
PRINCE WILLIAM AT TAYLOR SWIFT'S CONCERT
Prince William delighted Taylor Swift fans after breaking out some 'dad dancing' moves to his old friend's performance of Shake It Off at her sold-out London gig in June 2024.
The Prince of Wales was filmed eagerly joining in in the crowd which also included his three children, plus fellow royals Zara and Mike Tindall as well as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria.
Taylor kicked off the London leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium, performing to fans, celebrities and politicians alike - as well as her American footballer boyfriend Travis Kelce.
The Prince of Wales was among the 90,000-strong crowd in London for the hottest ticket in town - and he took along his children Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, ten.
Prince William and megastar Taylor have long known each other - the pair shared the stage at Kensington Palace to perform Livin' On A Prayer with Jon Bon Jovi at a charity event in 2013.
The Prince and Princess of Wales's official X account posted: 'Thank you Taylor Swift for a great evening!'
US pop star also Taylor posted a selfie with the royals and her American footballer boyfriend Travis Kelce wishing William a happy 42nd birthday
Backstage, the US pop star posed for a selfie with the Prince of Wales as well as two of his children Princess George and Princess Charlotte at her Wembley Stadium show.
The Prince and Princess of Wales's official X account posted a adorable photo of William, George and Charlotte with Swift and Kelce - with the caption: 'Thank you Taylor Swift for a great evening!'
Soon after, the popstar posted a selfie with the royals and her boyfriend to say: 'Happy birthday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start' in a touching message to the heir for his 42nd birthday.
MEGHAN AT BEYONCE'S CONCERT
In May, Meghan and Prince Harry were spotted dancing the night away at the fifth night of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour in California in a series of sweet behind-the-scenes snaps.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were among thousands of fans who crowded into the SoFi Stadium as the artist performed her last show in Los Angeles before heading to Chicago.
Afterwards, Beyoncé shared a photograph of the royals on her website, capturing the grinning couple as they cosied up inside the luxurious VIP lounge to watch the Crazy in Love singer perform.
The Duchess of Sussex also took to her own Instagram to share a glimpse of her and Prince Harry's night on the town, with the Duke planting a kiss on her cheek during the show.
Meghan shared a series of smiley snaps of herself, Harry and friends, sporting cowboy hats, in keeping with the tour's theme, as they swayed to various hits from the Cowboy Carter album.
Alongside the series of jubilant photos, she penned: 'About last night... Thank you Beyonce and team for an amazing concert (and a very fun date night) All love.'
Fans also snuck footage of Prince Harry from nearby seats, with the Duke of Sussex somewhat awkwardly shuffling around as his wife danced in front of him.
Following Beyonce's cowboy dress code, Meghan sported a tight denim dress, while Prince Harry sported a dark green cowboy hat with 'My Love', Lili and Archie inscribed inside alongside a US and UK flag.
She wore her hair up for the night, and was later spotted wearing her husband's hat as the concert amped up with a remixed rendition of Texas Hold 'Em.
The Halo singer - who kicked off her tour just over year and a half after she wrapped up her whirlwind Renaissance World Tour — has welcomed Harry and Meghan to her shows previously.
In 2023, the royals attended the Renaissance World Tour, also at the SoFi Stadium, where Prince Harry once again appeared less than impressed - and more interested in his phone.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had attended the concert to celebrate the 67th birthday of Meghan's mother Doria Ragland,
KATE AT THE SARAH EVERARD VIGIL
After Sarah Everard was abducted, raped and murdered by police officer Wayne Couzens, thousands of women who knew what it was like to feel unsafe on British streets lit candles and laid flowers in her memory - including the Princess of Wales.
Mother-of-three Kate paid a visit to the bandstand in Clapham Common, close to where the 33-year-old went missing, to pay her respects to Ms Everard and her family in the wake of the marketing executive's murder in March 2021.
Blending into the crowd of mourners in an army green jacket, black leggings and knee-high boots, Catherine added a bouquet of daffodils to the sea of floral tributes and took a moment to reflect in front of the bandstand for ten long seconds.
Instead of asking a horde of cameras to follow her to the vigil, the princess went alone - the raw moment only captured briefly by passersby.
With her hands in her pockets, the princess took one last look at a sign that read, 'I am Sarah', before she disappeared back into the crowd as quickly as she arrived.
Typically, members of the royal family don't turn up to public events by themselves - let alone events of a political nature.
However, the princess insisted on breaking royal protocol to attend the vigil in 2021 which later erupted into chaos as Met police officers clashed with crowds during lockdown.
But Catherine went one step further, taking the time to write the grieving family a personal letter - the contents of which have remained private but a source close to the Everards said they were 'extremely touched' to have received it.
The princess visited the bandstand alone, laying a bouquet of daffodils as her tribute - the raw moment only captured briefly by passers-by
In the private letter, it is believed the princess 'expressed her absolute sadness at what Sarah's family and loved ones are going through', a source told The Mirror. 'She said she knows that no words can change what happened but that she wanted to let them know that they and Sarah are in her thoughts.'
Royal commentator Penny Junor described Catherine's subtle visit and private letter as a 'wonderful gesture', made all the more poignant as it came six days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tell-all interview with Oprah Interview.
Writing in the Sunday Times, she said the fact Catherine quietly turned up at the vigil with absolutely no fanfare 'spoke volumes'.
'Kate was making a very subtle point. You don't need to make a song and dance about things,' said Junor.
'When Harry and Meghan talked to Oprah, they were more concerned about their own welfare; it was all about them and that's been their narrative all along.
'But there's a difference between service and self-service. I feel real service is doing things selflessly for others. I think that's what Kate understands.'
At the time of her low-key visit, Kensington Palace said Catherine 'wanted to pay her respects to Sarah and her family' as she 'remembers what it felt like to walk around London at night before she got married'.
Before she was a mother-of-three, Catherine lived less than three miles from Clapham where Sarah vanished, explaining why her death struck a chord.
MEGHAN & HARRY AT A 4TH JULY PARADE
In 2023, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and their daughter Lilibet were spotted attending a 4th of July parade in Montecito.
Carrying his daughter in his arms, the Duke of Sussex appeared to be trying to keep a low profile as he wore blue jeans, a green shirt, a green cap pulled over his face and sunglasses.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex was dressed in a simple shirt and light-wash jeans for the occasion.
In a clip shared by local hotel Rosewood Miramar Beach days later promoting their 4th July celebration, Meghan can be seen alongside her husband and daughter as they wave to passersby.
The luxury 5* hotel is owned by businessman Rick Caruso, who previously revealed how he had first met the couple back in May 2020 to discuss 'charity work' as well as their future plans.
According to The Times, Meghan and Harry have since dined at the exclusive hotel, while the Duchess' ex-husband Trevor also tied the knot at the premises last year.
The clip shared by the hotel shows one car in the parade driving along the road, while those inside waved to parade spectators.
After a clip showing Meghan, Harry and Lilibet, the video moved on to showcasing the BBQ on offer at the hotel for the celebration.
Carrying his daughter in his arms, the Duke of Sussex appeared to be trying to keep a low profile as he wore blue jeans, a green shirt, a green cap pulled over his face and sunglasses
Other clips showed the beachfront bar, as well as a huge sign reading USA which was covered in balloons.
The video, which is less than a minute long, was shared alongside the caption: 'A little Miramar magic for 4th of July!'
MEGHAN AT MEMORIAL FOR TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING
In May 2022, Meghan paid tribute to the victims of a school shooting in Texas by visiting a memorial near the site of the massacre and laying a bouquet of white 'peace' roses.
The Duchess of Sussex, who now lives in California, was photographed laying the flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse, not far from the scene of the senseless slayings at Robb Elementary School.
She also stopped by an Uvalde community center that hosted a blood drive, where she toured the facility and donated food, a volunteer there told DailyMail.com. 'She did not want anybody to know who she was,' the person said.
The Duchess dropped off two 'large' bags filled with sandwiches, beverages, and desserts for blood donors, reports said.
She took the trip in a personal capacity as a mother, to offer her condolences and support in person to a community experiencing unimaginable grief, her spokesperson told People.
Meghan places a bouquet of white roses at the memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse
Meghan did not address the press on the visit, and departed by private jet several hours later.
On May 24 in Uvalde, gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, perpetrated the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade, killing 19 small children and two teachers before being shot dead by police.
Teachers Irma Garcia, 46, and Eva Mireles, 44, selflessly used their bodies to shield as many students as they could from the shooter.
Meghan's visit to the small community roughly 80 miles west of San Antonio was unannounced, and came as a surprise to the town.
PRINCE WILLIAM SELLING THE BIG ISSUE
Prince William left shoppers in London stunned in December 2023 after he was spotted helping the homeless by selling the Big Issue.
The Prince of Wales donned the brand's traditional red cap and jacket to sell the magazine to people outside Tesco in Hammersmith, West London.
Beaming William appeared relaxed as he joined vendor Dave Martin, who has been a friend of the royal since they hit the streets selling Big Issue copies together 18 months ago, with the pair even swapping Christmas cards.
On Kensington Palace's official X account, Prince William wrote: 'Great to be back with Dave, selling the latest edition of the Big Issue once again!'
Among those witnessing the royal in action was Oliver Kempton, who popped out of his office to buy a sandwich from Tesco - and went back with a stunning picture of himself with the future King of England.
Oliver literally bumped into the prince, and after buying a copy, posed for a photo with William.
'To be honest I was speechless when I realised the Big Issue seller I was talking to was the Prince of Wales. He happily posed up with me for my colleague to take our picture - it is something I will be able to share with all the family.'
The prince launched his Homewards project in the same year to end homelessness and has been campaigning for rough sleepers since his mother Princess Diana took him out on the streets when he was a child.
His visit to Tesco with Dave follows a similar trip out with the Big Issue vendor back in 2022 to mark the future King's 40th birthday.
On that occasion, William sold 32 copies of the Big Issue in less than an hour as he spent the day on the streets of Victoria, London.
He also wrote for the magazine, explaining he wanted to shine a light on the issue of homelessness, recalling when he first visited a homeless shelter with his mother. He added that Diana, 'in her own inimitable style, was determined to shine a light on an overlooked, misunderstood problem'.
Prince William pictured with Big Issue vendor Dave Martin in 2022 when he first went out to do his bit to help the homeless by selling the magazine
Footage, which was released on his social media, showed William accompanying vendor Dave to sell the magazine, which is sold by people to help lift themselves out of poverty.
On Twitter he said: 'I have always believed in using my platform to help bring attention and action to those who are struggling and I commit to doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come.'
In the video, the prince says: 'Homelessness has always stuck with me as a topic and as an issue I want to fight for.
'Started to kind of feel actually this issue isn't quite as big to tackle as we think. We can fix it.
'I think that's been a bit of a turning point in my head, where I've seen, okay if we really want to fix homelessness it can be done. We do it together. Give the next generation less chance of being homeless.'