Pictures have emerged over the weekend of Neighbours cast attending a special guided tour of Buckingham Palace.
Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy), Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), Ryan Maloney (Toadie Rebecchi) and April-Rose Pengilly (Chloe Brennan) were privately invited along to the royal residence in Westminster on Friday alongside immediate relations and select crew from the Neighbours Celebration Tour, which closed at the London Palladium on 23rd March.
The palace was the formal residence of Elizabeth II until her death in September last year, and is expected to become home to King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort following their coronation on 6th May.
In a post on Instagram, Neighbours Celebration Tour company director Damian Sandys said: “How to finish off the most surreal month but with a personal invitation for a private tour of Buckingham Palace. No photos allowed inside sadly, but this was a real adventure for us all and the perfect thing for the day after our last show.”
According to Stefan Dennis, both the late Queen Mother and Diana, Princess of Wales were fans of Neighbours. In an interview with The Sun in 2016, Stefan Dennis said: “I was told by a very reliable source that I was Princess Diana’s favourite character.
“The Queen Mum was equally a big fan of Neighbours – my understanding is that whenever they were away doing engagements and they missed episodes, they used to get the BBC to send them across so they could catch up.
“And sometimes they were sent them early or rearranged events for it. I never got invited out for a drinkie with them though.”
Stefan Dennis and Annie Jones (Jane Harris) have recently played three dates at the London Palladium alongside their fellow Neighbours cast members, last performing there at the 1988 Royal Variety Performance, that was attended by both the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.
Cast are expected to make their way back to Australia in the coming weeks to resume filming of Neighbours on 17th April.