Mencap Myth Buster and Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Goldstein joined HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh for a special afternoon tea at St James’s Palace with her dance partner Vito Coppola. The event celebrated Ellie’s trail blazing success as the first contestant with a learning disability to take part in the full series of the dance competition and recognised the incredible impact her appearance on the show has had for people with a learning disability.  

Ellie’s history making appearance on the 2025 series, alongside her professional dance partner Vito, marked a powerful moment for the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Ellie brilliantly demonstrated that having a learning disability should never hold someone back from living their life to full.

The Duchess of Edinburgh, who has been Patron of the learning disability charity Mencap since 2002, shared a personal video message during the final of the show, praising Ellie for her role as a Mencap ambassador and her impact in challenging perceptions of people with a learning disability.

Mencap, which celebrates its 80th birthday this year, campaigns for a fairer society, works to build inclusive communities, and directly supports people with a learning disability to live their lives to the full.

Ellie attended the special tea with her mum Yvonne and dance partner Vito, who has been praised for demonstrating what great support looks like and highlighting the power of reasonable adjustments, such as accessible communication and adaptive teaching.

After the tea, Ellie and Vito showed some of their fantastic dance moves to Her Royal Highness, demonstrating the great partnership the two forged during the show.

Mencap has heard an outpouring of positivity from the learning disability community , who shared how meaningful it was to see Ellie on their screens each week. Many people told the charity they “finally felt represented,” with a profound impact on children and young people inspired by seeing someone like them showcased on a national stage.  

Ellie Goldstein said:  

“Visiting St James’s Palace was so exciting. I felt really proud and very happy to be there. It was great and quite unbelievable. Meeting The Duchess of Edinburgh was amazing. She was so kind and easy to talk to and asked lots of questions about my time on Strictly.  It means so much to be recognised by a Member of the Royal Family. I’m proud to show that people with a learning disability can achieve their dreams and to never give up what they want to do.”

Vito Coppola said:  

“When Ellie and I got the invitation to the afternoon tea we were very excited. My way of teaching is always to be a mirror for the person I’m dancing with, so I take time to really understand my partner and meet them where they are. Everyone learns differently, and dancing with someone who has a learning disability means thinking outside the box and understanding how to communicate and teach in the best way that works for them. Working with Ellie has been an incredible experience and I’ve learned so much from her. I will be forever grateful, and I have a little sister for life now”.

Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of Mencap also joined Ellie and Vito at the tea party. He said:  

“To see Ellie invited to a very special afternoon tea at St James’s Palace, bringing together our Patron and one of our Myth Busters, is a powerful reflection of the impact she has made. It recognises not only Ellie’s talent and determination, but the way she has challenged assumptions and opened hearts and minds across the country. Moments like this show how important it is to celebrate people with a learning disability at the highest levels - and how much Ellie’s influence is helping to drive lasting change in attitudes and expectations.” 

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Note to editors

About Mencap

There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and they deserve to live their life to the full. So Mencap supports people with a learning disability to succeed in the things that matter to them. To ensure that people with a learning disability are not left behind at any stage of their life, we campaign for a fairer society; work with families and partners to build inclusive communities; and we deliver person-centred services. We’ve spent 80 years changing lives. Now, with Mencap 2030, we’re changing the future. 

What is a learning disability?     

A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life. Typically, people with a learning disability need more time to learn and process information. They may need extra support to develop skills, complete tasks and interact with others, or they may have more complex needs requiring round-the clock care. The level of support needed is different for everyone and may change during a person’s lifetime.

Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Often, the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used in place of ‘learning disability’. Having a learning difficulty (such as ADHD or dyslexia ) may mean a person learns at a different pace or in a different way BUT – unlike a learning disability - it does not affect a person’s intellect.

With the right support, most people with a learning disability can lead happy, healthy, independent lives. At Mencap, it’s our mission to remove societal barriers and shatter misconceptions to make this more possible for more people.

Mencap’s guide to reporting on Learning Disability 

When it comes to creating content with people with a learning disability, we know many people feel nervous about saying and doing the wrong thing. Our guide for journalists, covers everything from up-to-date facts and figures to the right language to use. It also includes tips on how to work with people with a learning disability to gather the best content.

For further information, please contact Mencap’s media team on: [email protected] or 02076 965414 (including out of hours). 

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