CAMPMATE Martin Kemp has a secret friendship with the Princess of Wales — and she even took off her shoes on a visit to his home, his TV presenter son Roman reveals today.
The Spandau Ballet star, 64, and his Wham! singer missus Shirlie, 63, also gave the royal favourite some of their home-pressed apple juice when she called on the family at Roman’s invitation.
TV and radio host Roman — who came third in I’m A Celebrity in 2019 — made the revelations as he discussed his bassist dad’s battles with brain tumours and tips he has given his old man on surviving camp life Down Under.
Roman, 32, said he got to know the princess, 43, when she contacted him to discuss a mental health project he was working on.
He said: “A member of the palace team asked me if they could set up a Zoom call to discuss the details.
“I was expecting a load of people on the call and couldn’t believe it when it turned out to be just me and her.
“She asked whether we could do the filming at my house. I was like, ‘my parents’ house is much nicer let’s do it there’.
“So my mum raced out and got a load of nice things in, and suddenly the future Queen is having tea and biscuits with her and my dad!”
Roman added: “I remember when she arrived she could see everyone else had taken their shoes off so she offered to take hers off.
“It was surreal. Somehow you never expect to see a member of the Royal Family in their socks!
“Later, my parents gave her some of the apple juice which they press in their garden to take home as a little gift.
“A few weeks later she wrote a lovely letter which my mum has kept thanking them and saying that Prince George loved the juice and is there any chance of more!
“Working with her was amazing. She very kindly wrote me a thank-you note too which I have framed on my wall at home.”
In an emotional interview, Roman, whose dad has mentioned his history of tumours to the camp celebs, opens up on battles Martin faced.
He added that the family had to sell their house and cars to pay his medical bills.
It’s extraordinary that, after everything he’s been through, he’s out there in the jungle.
Roman Kemp
He said his memories are of his dad with no hair. He was then three and his sister, Harleymoon, seven.
Roman said: “They told him he was dying, so he wrote a book for me and Harley to read one day. He had a couple of operations and treatment.
“They warned mum he could come out blind, paralysed.
“Mum and dad never made it scary for us as kids, but it definitely brought us closer and made us pretty insular as a family and it definitely made their marriage even stronger.”
Roman said that Martin also suffered epilepsy and memory loss as a result of his brain tumour and had to re-learn all his Spandau Ballet parts.
He said: “It’s extraordinary that, after everything he’s been through, he’s out there in the jungle.
“If anything it’s made him more humble.
“There’s no diva about him but he’s being too nice in the camp!
“I think it’s just us voting for him to do the trials! I can’t see my dad getting into rows — he’s too mild mannered — but making him chef is dangerous. He cannot cook.”
Roman, now appearing in BBC’s Celebrity Race Across the World with Harleymoon, has given the ex-EastEnders star tips on enduring life in the camp.
He said “For one, I told him to block out the jungle noise at night by stuffing spare toilet roll in his ears.
“You hear everything moving under your bed — rats, insects, all scuttling around.
“It’s not like relaxing rainforest noises, it’s like a horror movie!”