‘Nothing’s going to be like this’: Lionel Richie says request to play at coronation concert was a ‘surprise’

‘You don’t get in the business and say, “You know what? I’ll be at the King’s coronation,”’ musician joked

Lionel Richie has admitted that he was somewhat “surprised” to be asked to perform at King Charles III’s coronation concert.

As part of May’s coronation celebrations, a live concert will be staged at Windsor Castle and broadcast across the BBC on Sunday 7 May, one day after Charles is officially crowned on Saturday 6 May. You can find out everything you need to know here.

The line-up for the concert was announced last week, with Richie performing alongside his fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry, as well as the reformed pop group Take That.

Speaking to People about his involvement, Richie said despite having known Charles for “a long time”, being asked to perform at the concert had been an “honour”.

“I mean, you don’t get in the business and say, ‘You know what? I’ll be at the King’s coronation.’ You know, that just never comes up,” the “Dancing On The Ceiling” musician told the publication.

“[It’s] A, a surprise. B, what an honour. And C, the fact of all the names that are out there that he could have had for this, he called my name.”

Asked what he was looking forward to about the event, Richie responded: “Come on. Are you kidding me? I want to see the pomp and circumstance because I don’t care what you thought Michael Jackson did. I don’t care what you thought Prince did. I don’t care what you thought Madonna did.

Charles with Richie in 2004 (Getty Images)

“Nothing’s going to be like this. This is the grandiose of grandiose right here.”

Also performing at the concert will be Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli and Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, as well as singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and classical-soul composer Alexis Ffrench.

The Coronation Choir, a group created from the nation’s keenest community choirs and amateur singers from across the UK, such as refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBT+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs, will also make an appearance.

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The event will take place on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle in front of a crowd of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests.