The Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey today and, to mark the historic occasion, the Palace has promised a concert with performances from “global music icons” and “contemporary stars”.
The late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace saw industry titans Diana Ross, Queen and Rod Stewart take to the stage – while Elton John delivered a pre-recorded rendition of Your Song.
The King’s Coronation weekend has an equally star-studded line-up, with pop singer Katy Perry and Britain’s very own Take That among the acts who have been confirmed.
A-listers Tom Cruise and Dame Joan Collins are billed to contribute to the evening’s entertainment and even Winnie-the-Pooh will be making a special appearance. The new Time Lord Ncuti Gatwa is taking a break from filming the upcoming series of Doctor Who to participate.
Other highlights include the specially-formed Coronation Choir representing “the many voices of the country”. Celebrity coaches Amanda Holden, Motsi Mabuse and Rose Ayling-Ellis are joining choirmaster Gareth Malone to mentor the singers ahead of the big day in a BBC documentary.
Here’s the full line-up of acts and everything else you need to know about the Coronation concert.
Tom Cruise – MARIO ANZUONI
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When is it and who can attend?
The concert will be held in the grounds of Windsor Castle on the evening of Sunday May 7, the day after the Coronation. Ten thousand members of the public who obtained tickets via ballot will join volunteers from the King and Queen Consort’s various charities in the audience. The remaining tickets will go to organisations supporting young people, the military and the environment, as well as local communities and the wider Commonwealth.
The public ballot has now closed and those who have won free tickets will be notified by late-April. Exact timings for the concert have not yet been announced.
The Coronation concert will be held in the grounds of Windsor Castle – EDDIE MULHOLLAND
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Who is performing?
While Take That, Paloma Faith, Steve Winwood and Olly Murs are representing the Brits at Windsor Castle, a number of American superstars have also been booked for the occasion including Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Nicole Scherzinger.
For the three remaining members of Take That – Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen – this will be their first live show in four years. Barlow organised the Diamond Jubilee concert for the late Queen in 2012 and led his bandmates in a performance at the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony so Britain’s original boyband certainly have the experience needed for such a historic event.
Lionel Richie and Katy Perry have more in common than just their positions on the American Idol judging panel. Both have similar relationships with the King and have met him a number of times over the years. The Dancing on the Ceiling singer became the first global ambassador for the monarch’s charity The Prince’s Trust in 2019 while the Fireworks songstress is an ambassador for The British Asian Trust – another of the King’s charities – and hopes her performance will shine a light on its Children’s Protection Fund. One of the world’s best-selling music artists, Perry says she’s “excited” to be taking part.
Lionel Richie will perform at King Charles’s Coronation concert – Jane Barlow/PA
Veteran guitarist Steve Winwood will bring 60 years of rock’n’roll expertise when he performs with the Virtual Choir, made up of singers from more than 40 Commonwealth countries. The rocker says he was “humbled and honoured” to be included in the line-up, adding: “I was alive and just about remember the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and I, together with millions and millions of other people all around the globe, am a lifelong monarchist.”
World-renowned pianist Lang Lang – who recently appeared on our screens as a judge on Channel 4’s hit show The Piano – will join the Pussycat Dolls singer and former X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger in a rendition of a track from Disney’s Mulan.
And calls to include The Piano’s teenage winner Lucy in the Coronation concert line-up have been answered. The 13-year-old, who is blind and neurodiverse, wowed Lang and the nation with her rendition of a Chopin piece earlier this year, bringing many viewers to tears.
In another nod to the King’s passion for classical music, renowned opera singer Andrea Bocelli and bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel will perform a duet. North London singer Freya Ridings, whose debut album was streamed over a billion times globally, will be joined onstage by classical composer Alexis Ffrench playing the piano.
Nigeria-born singer Tiwa Savage, also known as the ‘Queen of Afrobeats’, will bring another style of music to the occasion. The songwriter says she is ‘honour[ed] to be representing Africa and the Commonwealth’.
Katy Perry is part of the line-up for the King’s Coronation concert – Kirsty Wigglesworth
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What do we know about the Coronation Choir?
The 300-strong Coronation Choir is made up of singers from diverse backgrounds including a troupe of RNLI sea shanty singers from Somerset, a Northern Irish farming community group, an LGBTQ+ choir, a Gaelic choir from the Western Isles of Scotland, Hull’s NHS choir, and a refugee choir from Wales. They will be joined by the Virtual Choir, made up of voices from across the Commonwealth.
Gareth Malone, Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse and actress Rose Ayling-Ellis aim to “coach, challenge and inspire the choirs to give a pitch-perfect performance and overcome the inevitable nerves that come with singing in front of royalty at Windsor Castle”, according to a BBC spokesperson. The documentary about this process – Sing For The King: The Search For The Coronation Choir – will air on BBC One on May 5, two day before the concert.
Take That are set to perform at the concert – Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
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What can we expect from the concert
Bringing the Hollywood glamour, Tom Cruise and Dame Joan Collins will feature in the concert. They will be joined via video message by Sir Tom Jones, adventurer Bear Grylls and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse in a series of pre-recorded sketches revealing “little-known facts” about the newly-crowned King.
It wouldn’t be a royal event without the appearance of a nationally-beloved fictional bear. Paddington Bear’s meeting with the late Queen last year was ultimately one of the highlights of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Could Winnie-the-Pooh’s participation in the Coronation concert lead to another such moment?
Unsurprisingly for an event celebrating a monarch so devoted to the literary and performing arts, there will be a one-off performance combining dance, art and theatre. Ncuti Gatwa – the new Doctor Who – will perform excerpts from a Shakespeare play with actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company, while the Royal Opera Chorus and Royal Ballet are planning to bring a song from West Side Story to life. Artworks from Royal College of Art students will act as the show’s backdrop.
The Palace has also confirmed that the May 7 centrepiece will be a light show involving projections, lasers, drone display and illuminations at various important locations across the UK.
Nicole Scherzinger – NBC
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Who will host?
Hugh Bonneville, best known for his very British roles in Downton Abbey and the Paddington films, will host the concert. “I’m delighted to be taking part in this unique event, celebrating the best of musical entertainment in honour of His Majesty’s coronation,” he said. “In true British style, come rain or shine it will be a night to remember.”
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How can I watch?
For those who missed out on the ballot and plan to watch or listen from home, the Coronation concert will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
Paloma Faith – Jeff Spicer
Presenter and former Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young will anchor the BBC’s television coverage of the concert from Windsor Castle. Radio 1’s Clara Amfo and KISS Breakfast host Jordan Banjo will be backstage with the performers.
Over on Radio 2, Zoe Ball will chat to the stars before they take to the stage while Dermot O’Leary will be out amongst the crowd. Ball says she’s “thrilled” to be part of the coverage, adding: “I’m really looking forward to seeing who Dermot and I bump into at Windsor Castle and bringing all the backstage magic to our listeners live on Radio 2.”
Screens in St James’s Park will also show the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May.
This article is being kept updated with the latest information
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