An American TV presenter has apologised after she was accused of making sexist comments about Prince George’s love of ballet.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest child will take lessons next year at St Thomas’s school in Battersea.
After a segment about the plans on ABC News Good Morning America, host Lara Spencer said: “The future king of England will be putting down the Play-Doh to take on religious studies, computer programming poetry and ballet among other things.”
Muffling a laugh, she added: “Prince William says George absolutely loves ballet, I have news for you Prince William – we’ll see how long that lasts.”
After footage of his comments went viral, she was accused of both bullying and sexism.
Taking to Twitter, actor and talkshow host Rosie O’Donnell said in a video: “It’s like bullying on national TV ... Boys who take ballet are cool.”
Actor George Takei also tweeted: “Lara Spencer on GMA mocked a 6-year old Prince George of the UK for taking ballet class [sic]. It shows that ‘toxic masculinity’ can be spread viciously by insensitive women, too. As a fellow ‘George’ and a lover of dance, I am very troubled and disappointed by her actions.
Many people also chose to add hashtags such as #balletisforeveryone and #boysdancetoo to their tweets condemning the TV host.
Spencer has now apologised on Instagram.
Alongside a photograph of a lavender field, she wrote: “My sincere apologies for an insensitive comment I made in pop news yesterday. From ballet to anything one wants to explore in life, I say GO FOR IT. I fully believe we should all be free to pursue our passions. Go climb your mountain and love every minute of it.”
Prince William has previously spoken about George’s love of dance, explaining that it was something he shared with his late grandmother, Princess Diana.
“George is doing dance as well, he loves it. My mother always used to dance, loved dance,” William told BBC Radio 1. “If it’s something you love, you do what you love and it’s very important, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You keep at it.”
George is a great-grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and is third in line for the throne behind his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father.
