Within the three days of celebrations taking place for King Charles III's coronation – from 6 May to 8 May – the Coronation Concert is set to be a highlight. Pop star Katy Perry may seem to be a surprising choice to perform for the freshly-crowned King, but the singer's connection to Charles goes way back.
So in case you're wondering when the concert is happening, how you can tune in, and why Katy Perry was chosen to headline— here's everything you need to know:
When is the Coronation Concert?
Set your alarms now, the Coronation Concert is happening on Sunday, May 7 2023 at 8pm. You can tune into watch the big show on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, where the concert will be broadcast live.
Why is Katy Perry performing at the King's coronation concert?
After she was announced as a performer, Katy said she was 'excited' to perform as well as 'shine a light further' on The British Asian Trust - a charity founded by the King when he was the Prince of Wales, which works to tackle widespread poverty and hardship in South Asia. Katy is an ambassador for the charity and has highlighted its work to raise funds to find solutions to child trafficking, which could explain the choice.
The late Queen Elizabeth II'sPlatinum Jubilee featured many famous faces including Diana Ross, Sam Ryder, Elton John and Craig David - suggesting the upcoming Coronation Concert will also be an equally unmissable event.
Who is performing at the Coronation Concert?
According to Buckingham Palace, they will bring together 'global music icons and contemporary stars together' for the Coronation Concert. After much speculation, this weekend the headlining slots were officially confirmed by the Palace.
Along with Katy Perry, Take That members Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald will headline the Coronation Concert. However, band members Robbie Williams and Jason Orange reportedly turned down the offer to reunite for the royal event. In a joint statement, Barlow, Donald and Owen said they 'couldn't wait' for the show. They added, 'This will be our first live show since the Odyssey Tour, four years ago in 2019, and what a stage to come back on. A huge live band and orchestra, a choir, military drummers, the backdrop of Windsor Castle and the celebration of a new King.'
Lionel Richie (who is a friend of King Charles and one of his favourite artists) is also a part of the musical line-up. The Grammy award-winning singer said it was an 'honour' to be part of the event.
The concert will also include performances by Italian opera star, Andrea Bocelli; Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel; singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and classical-soul composer, Alexis Ffrench.
Buckingham Palace have also confirmed that an official Coronation choir, made up of choir groups from across the UK, will also perform. They said, 'Alongside the stars of the concert, the show will also see an exclusive appearance from The Coronation Choir. This diverse group will be created from the nation’s keenest community choirs and amateur singers from across the United Kingdom, such as Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. '
Who said no to performing at the Coronation Concert and why?
A Palace insider reportedly told Mail Online that King Charles was ‘very keen’ to have both Adeleand Ed Sheeran perform at the concert, personally requesting their presence. However, both stars declined the offer, with Ed being ‘too busy’ preparing for an upcoming gig in Texas, and Adele turning it down for unspecified reasons.
Harry Styles was also apparently invited to perform, but declined due to scheduling conflicts whilst touring. Another artist also who turned down the invite for the same reason is Elton John - who was a close friend of the late Princess Diana.
Kylie Minogue was hotly tipped to attend the Coronation Concert, but a spokesperson for the Australian singer told the Mirror, 'Kylie unfortunately won’t be able to perform at The Coronation as she will be out of the country at that time.'
Will the Spice Girls be performing at the Coronation Concert?
It was rumoured that the Spice Girls would finally reunite for the royal event - and of course the internet went wild. However, they haven't confirmed anything themselves. Mel C told the publication earlier in the year, 'We’re still chatting, it’s just about finding a middle ground for everybody.' As the official line-up has no been announced it's unlikely we will get a reunion *sobs.*
Where will the Coronation Concert be held?
The highly anticipated event will be held at Windsor Castle.
Can I get tickets to the Coronation Concert?
The Coronation Concert is a public event attended by volunteers from The King and The Queen Consort’s many charity affiliations. Through a national ballot held by the BBC, around 10,000 members of the public have been selected to receive a pair of free tickets for the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. Winners have been allocated based on the geographical spread of the UK’s population rather than a first-come, first-served basis. However, this ballot is now closed.
If you did submit an application in on time, the BBC have said you'd receive an answer by April. So, if you've heard nothing yet - you haven't been successful. And the remaining tickets for the show have been shared between organisations supporting young people, the military and the environment, alongside local communities and the Commonwealth.