According to the BBC, Take That, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Andrea Bocelli are preparing to perform at King Charles’ Coronation concert. A televised Coronation Concert will be placed on May 7—the day after Charles is formally crowned king—on the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London. The coronation was a “once in a generation occasion,” according to BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore, who also described the concert lineup as “world-class.”
The BBC stated that additional names for the Coronation Concert will be revealed soon
But there have been numerous rumours of musicians like Adele, Elton John, Harry Styles, and the Spice Girls declining invitations to sing during the coronation. They allegedly declined due to schedule conflicts or commitments to their tour. Kylie Minogue, a musician, reportedly declined, according to The Mail on Sunday, because of the rising Republican fervour in her native Australia, where Charles is also king. According to AFP, over 20,000 members of the general public and invited guests are expected to attend in person. The live event will also be aired on the radio and online. Opera artist Bryn Terfel, singer-songwriter Freya Ridings, and composer-producer Alexis Ffrench are among the other confirmed performers on the bill.
Perry – who performed for US President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021 – as well as Take That and Richie all have links to Charles’s charitable foundations. Richie, who at 73 is just a year younger than the king, said the concert would be an “honour and a celebration”. Previously, Bocelli sang for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September of last year at the age of 96. He participated at the late monarch’s Platinum Jubilee event celebrating her 70th year on the throne in June, which featured a star-studded lineup led by Diana Ross. The BBC stated that additional names for the Coronation Concert will be revealed soon.
Prince Harry, the younger son of Charles, will go despite his public criticisms of the royal family
Even though this will be the first coronation since 1953 and most Britons still living have never seen it, there doesn’t seem to be much public interest at the moment. To commemorate the event at Westminster Abbey, coronation coins, especially chinaware, and even a crown emoji have been created.
However, a YouGov survey of more than 3,000 individuals released on Friday revealed that 35% of respondents “do not care very much” about the event. The percentage of those who claimed they “do not care at all” was just under one-third (29%) with younger age groups showing the highest disinterest. Only around one in ten (9%) respondents said they cared “a great deal,” while nearly a quarter (24%) of all respondents said they cared “a fair amount.”
On May 8, which has been designated a public holiday, 46% of Britons indicated they will probably watch or participate in festivities, including street gatherings and communal dinners. The sombre religious event, whose origins go back more than a millennium, was still being prepared, and the guest list was being finalised. Prince Harry, the younger son of Charles, will go despite his public criticisms of the royal family since immigrating to the US in early 2020. However, Meghan, an actress, and their two young children will stay in California with the former British army captain.