Prince William surprises on Dancing with the Stars as fan favourite couple exits before semi-finals

Season 34 of DWTS marked its 20th anniversary with royal cameo from Prince William and surprise elimination

Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars aired its ninth week on November 11 2025, celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary with returning professionals, a nostalgic theme, and a surprise appearance from Prince William. The evening ended with comedian Andy Richter’s elimination, leaving six couples to compete in the upcoming semi-finals.

The show began with a large-scale performance of the Dancing with the Stars Theme by Ray Chew, choreographed by Derek Hough. Current and original professional dancers reunited on the ballroom floor to mark the milestone, while former host Tom Bergeron returned to the judges’ panel as a special guest.

In one of the night’s standout moments, contestant Robert Irwin received a surprise video message from Prince William. The royal wished him luck and joked about missing him at the Earthshot Prize ceremony. Irwin’s emotional Foxtrot to Leona Lewis’s “Footprints in the Sand” paid tribute to his late father, Steve Irwin, and earned the first perfect 40 of the season.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas also impressed with a precise Argentine Tango to “Cell Block Tango,” matching Irwin’s perfect score. Alix Earle’s Foxtrot and Dylan Efron’s Argentine Tango rounded out the top performances.

The episode featured a moving tribute to late head judge Len Goodman and several past contestants, accompanied by a dance to Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way.”

After the judges’ scores and audience votes were combined, hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough announced that Andy Richter and Emma Slater were leaving the competition, ahead of next week’s “Prince Night” semi-finals.