There’s no denying that the coronation of an English king isn’t something that happens every day, so naturally the celebrations that go with it must be rare and exciting.
The good news is that after the official coronation in Westminster Abbey, London, the party will be moving down to Windsor Castle where a huge concert will be held to celebrate the new monarch.
King Charles III has been known for his love of music and the arts, so who will grace the stage? Here, everyone you can expect to see play at the coronation concert.
Who is playing at King Charles III coronation?
It’s understood that British band Take That will play the coronation, but with only three of its members—Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald.
The lead singer, Robbie Williams, is not expected to be in attendance, having reportedly turned down the offer. It’s a strange circumstance given Williams has been a close friend of the King’s nieces, Beatrice and Eugenie, for many years.
Robbie has previously sung for Queen Elizabeth II, although he did admit that despite having performed for her the late queen failed to recognise him on two different occasions. Could that be the cause of his bad blood?
American singer Lionel Richie will also play at the coronation concert. He has had a long history being friendly with the King, having been the first global ambassador of his charity the Prince’s Trust.
It is seeming to be an increasingly American line up, with pop star Katy Perry also added to the set list. While that one might seem a little out of the blue (does KCIII listen to ‘Hot N Cold’ in the shower?), like Richie, Perry has been an ambassador of the British Asian Trust, one of Charles’ charities, since 2020.
British singer Freya Ridings (best known for her hit ‘Lost Without You’) will sing in tandem with British composer Alexis Ffrench. It is understood that there will be another duo taking the stage, in the form of Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli and Welsh baritone Sir Bryn Terfel. A nice little nod to his long-standing position as the Prince of Wales, we think.
There will also be choir performances from different singing groups across the countries in the United Kingdom, which will hero voices from refugee, hearing-impaired and LGBTQIA+ backgrounds, along with NHS workers.
Who Will Host The Coronation Concert?
The coronation concert will be hosted by a British icon, Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville.
Who Refused An Invitation To Play The Coronation Concert?
While most of the information on this has been disseminated by ‘palace insiders’, it is understood that King Charles III had hoped to have both Adele and Ed Sheeran on the set list.
The Daily Mail reports that Sheeran was unable to attend because he will be playing a show in Texas, and while Adele was also unable to attend, it is unclear what reason was given (as she has no shows scheduled for that day).
Time Out reports that Harry Styles declined due to his schedule, along with Kylie Minogue for unspecified reasons. Elton John (who famously wrote a version of ‘Candle In The Wind/Goodbye England’s Rose’ for Princess Diana’s funeral) is also reported to have declined.
When Is The Coronation Concert For King Charles III?
It will take place on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 8pm BST. Tune in to the proceedings from home with streaming service BritBox via live coverage direct from the UK along with full replay and highlights.
Stream the coronation on BritBox with a 7 day free trial. Subscribe here.
