This king and queen of the Mobile Carnival Association for Mardi Gras 2024 don’t currently live in their hometown of Mobile, but this season has definitely rekindled their love of the Mother of the Mystics as the spotlight envelopes them in earnest.

“I’m glad I got out of Mobile for a little bit, but I’m getting close to being ready to move back,” said King Felix III Will Slaton from his current home of Richmond, Virginia, where the University of Alabama graduate works in sales.

His queen, Elizabeth Helmsing, is currently pursing nursing at the Capstone in Tuscaloosa, but can’t wait to fold herself into the full Carnival experience, complete with dozens of friends and family members — many who were members of past Mardi Gras courts. This year marks the 25th anniversary of her father’s reign as King Felix III.