One day after a gilded coronation ceremony watched by millions, King Charles III and Queen Camilla allowed others to take center stage on Sunday as they attended a star-studded concert with Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and others at the Castle. of Windsor.
The newly crowned monarch and his wife seemed to enjoy the show as Richie performed «All Night Long,» at one point standing up and swaying to the music. Other members of the royal family, including Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince George, 9, waved Union Flags along with a crowd of some 20,000 gathered on the castle’s east terrace.
Charlotte and her mother, Kate, Princess of Wales, sang as Perry, dressed in a gold ball gown, performed her pop hit «Roar.»
“Top Gun” star Tom Cruise appeared in a recorded video message, saying: “Pilot to pilot. The Majesty of him, he can be my wingman at any time.” The mixed program also included performances by the Royal Ballet, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, opera singer Andrea Bocelli and the British band Take That.
Even Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog turned up, joking with host Hugh Bonneville.
Entertainment was interspersed with more serious moments. A message from Charles on the importance of environmental conservation was played, and the show was accompanied by a nature-themed display of lights and drones.
Prince William, heir to the throne, took the stage to pay tribute to his father’s dedication to service. “Dad, we are all so proud of you,” he said.
“As my grandmother used to say when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future. And I know that she is up there, watching over us lovingly, and she would make a very proud mother,” William said to loud cheers.
Concertgoers chanted «God Save the King» as landmarks across the UK were lit up in colored lights.
Early Sunday, thousands of picnics and street parties were held across the UK in honor of Charles. The community gatherings, part of a British tradition known as the Big Lunch, offered a royalist counterpart to the gilded spectacle of the king’s coronation on Saturday.
The events were intended to bring locals together to celebrate the coronation even as support for the monarchy wanes. Critics complained about the cost of the coronation at a time of exorbitant living expenses amid double-digit inflation.
But many others took the opportunity to enjoy a party with friends and family. At Regent’s Park in London, Valent Cheung and his girlfriend turned up to cheer on the new king with neighbors who hugged them when they moved from Hong Kong. They decked out their loyal and “royal” fluffy white dog, Tino, with a little purple crown for the occasion.
“This is a new era for the UK,” Cheung said. “We didn’t have these things in Hong Kong. Now, we are embracing the culture. We want to enjoy it, we want to celebrate it.”
Charles and Camilla did not attend any of the picnics, leaving that duty to other members of the royal family.