Double acts: The royals who bring out the best – and cheekiest – in each other

Sure, they're famous for their pomp and ceremony, but the royals can crack up with the best of them.

From their royal tours to hilarious moments where the younger kids steal the show, the Royal Family's appearances can come with a surprising amount of laughs.

Let's look back at some of the funniest double-act moments where the royals cajole and tease one another and prove that the British stiff upper lip isn't so rigid.

The best and cheekiest royal double act moments

Prince William and Kate Middleton joked around from the start

Kate Middleton stole hearts right from the start of her time as a bona fide royal, effortlessly ribbing Prince William during their 2010 engagement press interview.

Proving how they keep one another grounded, the couple joked around with one another, with William even teasing Kate, implying she had a teenage crush on him. Kate quipped back, "He wishes."

Prince George and Louis bicker and banter

As his youngest sibling has started to join the family for more events, Prince George has started to show signs of being the classic frustrated older brother - and royal fans love it.

Joking around with one another, George has had to step in to try and calm his excitable brother. And, hilariously, during the VE Day 2025 celebrations, Louis was caught mimicking his older brother's act of fixing his hair, earning a funny glare in return.

King Charles and Queen Camilla - always laughing

The British might be known for their stiff upper lips - and none more reserved than the Royal Family - but King Charles and Queen Camilla have often showcased how perfect they are for each other, both happy to crack up and let their guards down.

Some funny highlights over the years have included the pair unable to calm their giggles during the Mey Games in Scotland and cracking each other up during a game of table tennis with the French President and the First Lady.

Princess Charlotte is the best big sister at the Coronation

Perhaps because of Prince Louis' history of stealing the show with his antics, he was kept calmer thanks to having Princess Charlotte by his side during the historic Coronation of King Charles III.

Proving she's a sensible big sister, Charlotte often steps in when it comes to Louis, with the young Princess also expertly dealing with Louis trying to blow out her candle at their mom's Together at Christmas carol concert in 2024.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip - 70 years of laughter

Together for just shy of 74 years before Prince Philip's death in 2021, Queen Elizabeth II and Philip had a marriage that was known for their steadfastness as well as their private sillier moments.

Perhaps no one could joke around with Her Majesty quite like the man who knew her best, and they often were caught giggling away together, allowing a playful side of one of the most famous women in history to shine through.

Prince William and Harry get competitive

When Prince William and Prince Harry joined forces in 2017 for their mental health initiative, Heads Together (along with Kate Middleton), the royals took part in a charity 100-meter sprint.

Not taking things too seriously, Harry showcased how he and William could tease one another, not missing a chance to get competitive.

Queen Elizabeth II and Kate

Over the years, royal fans watched as Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton's relationship flourished.

It was rumored that, once the now Princess of Wales was fully in the fold, she and the late Queen enjoyed a solid bond, which even included William and Kate moving to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor in 2022, in part to be closer to the monarch, who had moved to Windsor Castle.

King Charles and Princess Anne

King Charles and his only sister, Princess Anne, are thought to share a close bond, and since he has become King, His Majesty has leaned on his reliable sister even more.

But that's not to say they can't share light-hearted moments together.

Per the Mirror, former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter explained their dynamic by using a Christmas gift as an example.

One year, the Princess Royal gave her brother a leather toilet seat. He explained, "What is it we used to call the loo? We would call it the throne. You go and sit on the throne.

"So buying a leather-bound loo seat was really Princess Anne's way of saying, 'Here you are, you've got your own personal throne!'"

Kate Middleton and Prince Louis

As the youngest child, Prince Louis might try and push his luck when he's by his mom's side.

We've seen the excitable young royal full of energy at events like the Platinum Jubilee in 2022, with the cheeky royal playing around with Kate.

Of his rambunctious nature, Kate has actually been praised for letting Louis be funny and silly in public, despite being under such a spotlight.

"The Princess of Wales shows us how important it is to nurture a child’s playful side, even in formal settings," early years expert and author Sophie David, has previously shared with Hello!

Prince William and Kate's funny, competitive moments

Both the Prince and Princess of Wales are athletic people - and they're both competitive. Which, for royal fans, has meant a few hilarious moments over the years.

From racing one another at a spin class to trying to one-up each other at local sports and customs during royal tours, the two love to go head-to-head.

During a special episode of Mike Tindall's podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, the Prince and Princess of Wales acknowledged their competitive streak, with Kate admitting that she didn’t think she and Prince William had been able to finish a tennis match against each other, as it becomes a "mental challenge" between them.

Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson were royal troublemakers

As two women who married into one of the most famous families in the world, Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana had a lot to bond over - and bond they did.

Per the Independent, Fergie has shared just how far the two could take things.

"On my hen night, we did dress up as policewomen and we were arrested by Parks Police," she revealed. "We were put in the back of a Parks Police van, and Diana then leaned and ate his smoky bacon crisps."

How was this most unroyal behavior received? Well, of course, Her Majesty the Queen found it funny!

She reportedly shared, "We got off eventually, but I was hauled in front of the boss [the Queen] the next day with her. But luckily HM [her Majesty] did laugh."

William and Kate like to boogie

They might be the future King and Queen, but what makes Prince William and Kate Middleton so perfect for one another is how they bring out each other's fun and silly sides.

While they could take things super seriously, the couple love to inject some humor in their royal tours and engagements.

During the Diamond Jubilee tour of Tuvalu in 2012, they got into the swing of things by donning grass skirts and dancing away with the locals.

Prince William's banter with Mike Tindall

In 2023, Mike Tindall appeared on The Total Sport Podcast, Seven: Rob Burrow with... where he let slip a rather unregal nickname he has for Prince William.

Proving the two have a great relationship and can joke around, Mike revealed his nickname for his wife's cousin.

"For the Prince of Wales, he is known as One Pint Willy. He is known to me as One Pint Willy because he is not the best of drinkers, coming from a sport where it is built on the social aspect and a couple of beers being sunk quite often."

He then joked, "Sorry, Sir!"

Savannah Phillips and Prince George

It's not just the grown-ups who get in on the fun together - at Trooping the Color in 2018, the younger generation started to show off their hilarious dynamics.

Savannah Phillips, the oldest child of Peter Phillips, cracked people up by shushing Prince George on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Prince Louis's sweet Christmas antics with Charlotte

Prince Louis stole the show once again in 2022, this time by showing how close he is to his sister, Princess Charlotte.

During the traditional Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham in 2022, Louis delighted fans as he excitedly ran around, receiving flowers and toys from well-wishers.

He was even seen chasing after his sister when he realized he had fallen behind, and then he adorably handed her a bouquet of flowers given to them by the public.

Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth II

Prince Harry always praised the sense of humor of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and he was proud that the two could joke together.

In a 2022 interview at the Invictus Games, he revealed he had seen his grandmother, stating, "Being with her. She's in great form, she's always got a great sense of humor with me."

He added, "We have a really special relationship. We talk about things that she can't talk about with anybody else."

One of their funniest moments together came in 2016, when Harry had his grandmother join him for a video promoting the Invictus Games. Replying to a light-hearted challenge from the Obamas, the Queen jokingly dismisses them, to which Harry looks to the camera and goes "Boom", imitating a mic drop.

Princess Anne and Mike Tindall

For many, having Princess Anne as a mother-in-law might seem daunting. Luckily, for Mike Tindall, he has revealed he and the Princess Royal share a great relationship filled with laughter.

While appearing on the UK TV show, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, he shared her hilarious reaction to an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.

He shared, "I had flares on... but it was quite tight, nothing ever fits - rugby player’s bum and legs! - so I was dancing with my mother-in-law and I did a 'slut drop."

Then, it happened. "Ripped my trousers, straight in front of her," he said, "It happened to be that my boxers that I had on at that time said 'nibble my nuts'."

"As I’ve turned round, she’s gone, 'I’d rather not.'"

Duchess Sophie and Princess Charlotte

Duchess Sophie and Princess Charlotte have reportedly become a close double act, with the young Princess turning to her great-aunt at events like VE Day 2025 to gossip away and share a laugh.

It has been suggested that Duchess Sophie has formed a strong, tight-knit bond with Kate Middleton and her children following the turbulent years they’ve faced, with Kate's cancer diagnosis.

Prince Philip and Princess Anne

Prince Philip and his only daughter, Princess Anne, were thought to be incredibly close, and it might have been thanks to their shared dry humor and no-nonsense attitudes.

For example, while most parents might have freaked out over an attempted kidnapping - which happened to Princess Anne in 1974 - it was widely reported Philip kept things calm and drily quipped, "If the man had succeeded in abducting Anne, she would have given him a hell of a time while in captivity."

King Charles and Queen Elizabeth II

As many of her famous one-liners proved, despite shouldering the pressure of being monarch for 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II was more than capable of enjoying a laugh.

It was always heart-warming to see her and King Charles let down their guards and crack up as mother and son, not as Queen and heir.

Kate and Pippa Middleton

The world has always known her as a future queen, but for Pippa Middleton, Kate is just her big sister.

Over the years, fans have seen Pippa and Kate gossip and laugh away at Wimbledon, and in the early years, the stylish sisters would take on Sloane Square and other London hotspots.

Of their relationship, Pippa has previously told NBC, "I mean, obviously, she has pressures she's taken on and things. But we spend a lot of time together. We still do a lot together as a family. We have a very normal, sisterly relationship. We're very close. And, you know, we support each other and get each other's opinions and things."

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

From their dynamic fashion at the likes of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding to the two always supporting one another's ventures, royal fans love when the York sisters step out together.

While speaking on Kate Thornton's podcast, Floodlight, in 2023, Eugenie said of her sister, "She's annoying when she wants to be and I'm really annoying to her back, but we love each other, best of friends."

"She's a great mum. I always ring her for nearly everything: 'What do I do about this? What do I do about that?'"

Prince Harry and Kate Middleton

Way before the relationship between Prince Harry and some of his royal family members soured, he and Kate Middleton were often something of a double act.

Harry and Kate seemed like great pals, and Harry would make his sister-in-law laugh, either poking fun at William or acting up, as he did at the 2014 Trooping the Color, making Kate burst out laughing.

Of his sister-in-law, in his memoir, Spare, Harry wrote, "I loved my new sister-in-law, I felt she was more sister than in-law, the sister I'd never had and always wanted, and I was pleased that she’d forever be standing by Willy’s side. She was a good match for my older brother. They made each other visibly happy, and therefore I was happy too."

Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan Markle

Ah, what might have been. Sadly, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry upped and left life as working royals in 2020, so fans didn't get to see many engagements between the Duchess of Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II, who would pass away in 2022.

But one memorable moment saw the two giggling away, looking thick as thieves during an engagement in 2018.

This wasn't the only time, if rumors are to be believed. Meghan reportedly gifted the Queen with a singing hamster toy, which apparently made the monarch "burst out laughing".

Prince William and Harry joke around

They might be royal princes, but put two brothers together, and they're going to act up. This is what Prince William and Prince Harry proved in 2010, during a visit to Mokolodi Nature Reserve in Botswana.

Presented with an African rock python. Harry jokingly held the snake's head towards William, making his older brother squirm away.

Ah, siblings.

Mike Tindall and Prince Louis

Mike Tindall delighted royal fans with his joke warning to Prince Louis during the 2022 Platinum Jubilee pageant.

Showing how close he is to his cousin-in-laws, Mike stepped in to let Louis know he was watching him, as the young prince struggled to sit still.

Later, on his podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, Mike said, "Louis was just wanting to have fun, and my two are always mischievous, so it was (about) trying to keep a lid on.

"There were a lot of sweets out back there, so they had complete sugar highs. It's tough for them, they're all young sitting there from two to five or whatever, it's a long time, (and) as any parent knows, you just do what needs to be done."

William jokes about Kate's broodiness

In 2022, Prince William and Kate Middleton visited St John’s Primary School in Inverclyde, as part of a two-day tour of Scotland.

During this visit, William made people laugh with his comical fear of Kate's broodiness.

The father of three sensed that Kate might be getting ideas for a fourth as she hugged some children, reportedly joking, "Can you get my wife out of here before she gets broody?"

Brothers will be brothers...

Put brothers of any age in front of a football, and you're likely to see some sibling rivalry rear its head.

This was the case in 2014, when Prince William and Prince Harry visited the Gorbals Leisure Centre as part of their visit to the Commonwealth Games.

Acting rather un-princely, the brothers definitely engaged in some foul play, jokingly pushing and grabbing one another.

The Queen and Princess Anne's first joint video call

In 2020, as part of a UK documentary titled Anne: The Princess Royal At 70, a previously unseen clip revealed the hilarious moment the Princess Royal tried to teach her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, how to take a video call.

Showcasing their shared dry wit, in the clip, Anne is seen asking, "Can you see everybody? You should have six people on your screen."

When the Queen replies, "Yes, well, I can see four anyway,” the princess quips, "Actually, you don't need me. You know what I look like!"

Zara Tindall and Princess Anne

Princess Anne and her children share a great relationship, with the family often supporting one another at horse racing events.

As well as the Princess Royal joking with her son-in-law, for the ITV documentary, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, Zara revealed her cheeky sense of humor with her mom.

She says on the show that she quite often drops the kids off at her mother's Gatcombe Park estate with a brief but amusing, "We'll pick them up later, bye."

Many parents will relate to this bit of grandparent babysitting.

Princess Anne and Queen Camilla

In a conversation with Tatler, Princess Anne heaped praise on her sister-in-law, Queen Consort Camilla.

The Princess Royal called her "incredibly generous and understanding", and the two have enjoyed a few funny moments over the years.

Most notably was in 2019, when the two appeared dressed in nearly identical outfits for the Sandringham Christmas service.

At the time, it was reported that Anne immediately saw the funny side and the two laughed it off.

Prince William and Camilla laugh so hard they cry

In 2014, Queen Camilla and Prince William warmed royal fans' hearts as they shared a hearty laugh in a sweet moment at the Invictus Games.

For many, it might have seemed a turning point. The pair's relationship, per several sources over the years, might have taken a while to warm up, but this moment proved the two could really enjoy one another's company.

In June 2024, an unnamed source told USWeekly: "It was Kate who warmed William to Camilla. She’s never been dismissive of Camilla and always treated her with kindness."

In August of the same year, per Tatler, an insider reportedly said, "William has warmed up to Camilla over time" and they have "a familial relationship these days."