News
The Duchess of Cornwall marks World Osteoporosis Day
20th October 2009
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood gave The Duchess of Cornwall an impromptu cha cha cha lesson when the pair visited a London school on World Osteoporosis Day.
Her Royal Highness and the celebrity dance instructor took to the dancefloor in the hall of St Clement Danes primary school which is taking part in a National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) project.
View a video about the engagement:
The school is one of six across the country that is receiving a visit from Revel Horwood after winning a competition where they had to prove their "bone health" credentials.
The Duchess of Cornwall, who is the NOS's president, watched the celebrity judge put a group of around 20 nine-year-olds through their paces. The youngsters are being encouraged to dance to help strengthen their bones and keep them active.
The choreographer lived up to his straight talking reputation when he told the school children "timing is essential, you're all ahead of the beat," but ended by praising them as "fantastic".
Later the Strictly Come Dancing judge, who is an NOS patron, said of Her Royal Highness's dancing: "I'd give her 10. She kept rhythm, her timing was excellent, her footwork was excellent - she has the personality for it."
Mr Revel Horwood is taking part in the NOS's Bone Factor Tour, which is travelling to six winning schools.
The institutions were chosen after they entered an original dance routine and proved their knowledge of nutrition as a means of keeping bones healthy.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge, like Her Royal Highness, has experienced a close loved one suffering from a debilitating bone disease.
His mother, Beverley, has been battling arthritis for many years while The Duchess of Cornwall's mother suffered from osteoporosis.
Her Royal Highness toured St Clement Danes primary on Drury Lane in central London, and chatted to children taking part in an online NOS quiz which was testing their knowledge about nutrition.
Before she left she joined the rest of the school in the hall for a performance of the pupils' winning dance routine which took "bones" as its theme.
The Duchess of Cornwall praised all the youngsters and encouraged them to eat healthily, and joked that some of them were so good at dancing that they could one day take part in the popular BBC dance show when they were older.