[Above: Katrina Darling (left), cousin of Kate Middleton (right), performing God Save The Queen in New York]

Katrina Darling had no idea that she was related to royalty.

Specifically, to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, who last year married the heir to the British throne, Prince William.

The two women are related through a great-grandparent.

When she first heard the news of the royal engagement, she called her mum, who validated the connection.

The 21-year-old burlesque dancer, who has never met her royal cousin, is now milking the "connection" for all it's worth.

Darling, who works at Barclays Bank in London and performs in the evening, debuted her God Save The Queen show at the Work in Progress (WiP) nightclub in New York City on Tuesday.

The dark-haired buxom beauty kicked off the set wearing a Union Jack tied around her waist, a red sequined dress, some gold gloves and a playful, miniature crown perched just off-centre, the Daily Mail reported.

During the course of the night, she stripped down to a red-and-gold bra and knickers with fur trim reminiscent of the coronation cloak the Queen wore in 1953.

WiP promoter Lyle Derek told Metro World News: "We invited her because, first of all, she's gorgeous. We feel that she's such a true punk. We're looking to get more into burlesque.

"It wasn't just the angle of her being related to Kate Middleton."

Darling told the New York Post after the show: "I take my clothes off, but I don't give away anything that should be kept for someone else."

When asked what the royals thought about her dancing she said: "I don't know; ask them." Her popularity has risen since the royal connection was made public.

After Tuesday's triumphant show, she has been invited to reprise her starring role on the nightclub's basement stage in June, just in time to coincide with the Queen's diamond jubilee festivities, Daily Mail reported.

She termed the recent attention a "happy coincidence".

Speaking to US news website The Daily Beast, she said: "I think that's kind of what made (the gossip) get a bit out of control."

Darling told the New York Post that she expects her show to meet New York's rigorous risqué standards.

She said: "New York is a lot more 'out there' than the UK.

"London sticks more to the traditional burlesque side of things, whereas New York really pushes the envelope."

And her God Save The Queen performance? Purely coincidental.

"I've been doing my God Save The Queen act for years," the New York Post quoted her as saying.

"I thought the act would be a fun way of playing with the idea of the monarchy."

This article was first published in The New Paper.