Strictly contestant Nick Knowles' surprise royal connections

Nick Knowles could have a couple of royals cheering him on when he competes on Strictly Come Dancing this year, as he has connections to Princes Harry and William.

The presenter previously worked with both royals when they appeared on DIY SOS, his hugely successful home renovation show. And on another occasion Knowles worked with Harry on a documentary about the Invictus Games.

Ahead of the TV star’s debut on the BBC ballroom show, we have a look at his royal links.

DIY SOS project

In 2015, both of the Princes appeared on a special episode of DIY SOS that was filmed in Manchester. The special saw the team turning run-down empty properties into homes for veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Harry and his big brother William were on site as the episode was filmed. Both got stuck in, putting their DIY skills to the test as they helped to transform the derelict properties for former servicemen and servicewomen.

Knowles later said the pair were very helpful and were totally committed to the project. Appearing on The One Show in 2018, he said: “Because we had a lot to get through, I tried to move them on at one stage, and William was like, ‘No, I’m not leaving until I’ve finished this wall’.

“So he [William] was doing painting and Harry was doing paving slabs out the back, and there were a hundred builders also, and he [Harry] was like, ‘What, you never seen a Prince lay a paving slab before?’”

In 2018, Prince William teamed up with Knowles once again, this time to pitch in after the Grenfell fire. He helped the DIY SOS team rebuild a boxing gym that was destroyed in the blaze.

Invictus Games documentary

The following year Knowles teamed up with Prince Harry again for a documentary about the Invictus Games. Knowles presented Invictus: The Road To The Games, which followed British servicemen and women who had overcome life-changing injuries and illnesses on order to compete in the UK Armed Forces Team.

Prince Harry featured in the programme about the event, which he founded.

Wedding invite?

Knowles played his cards close to his chest when it came to whether he had been invited to Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018. As the big day approached, all anyone could talk about was the nuptials and who might be there, and some fans thought Knowles might get the nod because of his history with the royals.

However, he was coy when asked about in on The One Show, saying: “No one’s talking about whether they’ve got an invite or not are they?”

He teased that he saw Harry all the time, adding: “I’ve got a house at the bottom of the hill from Windsor Castle and he’s round borrowing cups of sugar all the time. I see him every day."

Nick Knowles said royal tension was ‘horribly sad’

In 2022, the presenter weighed in on reports that Harry and William’s relationship was strained. Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, he said the whole thing was “horribly sad”.

“When I knew them, they were amazing, they were amazing together,” he said. “I liked them both.”

Strictly 2024

Knowles has done other reality TV, like I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, and his fans have long thought he would be a good contestant on Strictly. They have got their wish this year, with the presenter confirmed on the line-up.

The star comes from a family of dancers but quipped that he is the "least talented person in the family". "They think it is hilarious that I am doing this," he revealed on The One Show.

Asked if he would make it to Blackpool, he said: "If I do something then I absolutely go for it and I throw myself at it 100% so if I can not roll another ankle before Blackpool..."

He added: "I’ve spent my whole life learning new skills and I’ve never been afraid of a challenge - there’s life in the old dog yet to take on one more big one – being taught how to dance! I’ll give it my everything... and try not to embarrass my kids of course."

Strictly Come Dancing 2024 starts on Saturday 14 September on BBC One and iPlayer.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/strictly-nick-knowles-prince-harry-prince-william-181757193.html