King Charles and Queen Camilla surprised fans of the US talent show American Idol with a spontaneous appearance on Sunday. The royal couple joined judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry on the live stream shortly after Richie and Perry performed at the king’s coronation concert at Windsor Castle.
During the appearance, Richie expressed his desire to bring something different to the show and then the king and queen walked into the shot, surprising Perry. King Charles jokingly asked Richie how long he would be using the room, referencing one of his hits. The king thanked both performers for their brilliant performance and expressed his pleasure in having them on the show.
The queen, wearing an electric blue jacket, praised Richie and Perry, describing their performance as fantastic. Perry, in her bright green off-the-shoulder silk dress, asked if they were making too much noise, and the group shared a lighthearted moment.
The royal couple’s appearance on American Idol was said to be spontaneous and a testament to their longstanding relationship with the two singers. Both Lionel Richie and Katy Perry are members of trusts close to the King’s heart. Lionel is an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and Katy supports the British Asian Trust, founded by the king.
The coronation concert, held at Windsor Castle, attracted an audience of 20,000 guests. The event featured performances by artists such as Paloma Faith and Take That, as well as cameos from Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog. Prince Charles paid tribute to King Charles’ coronation “pledge of service,” and Prince William expressed his pride in his father’s recognition of people from all backgrounds and faiths. The concert, broadcasted on BBC One, garnered significant viewership, with an average of 10.1 million viewers and a peak audience of 12.3 million.
In addition to the American Idol appearance, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran performed his song “Eyes Closed” from his latest album on the show. The musical extravaganza also featured approximately 20,000 members of the public and opened with “Feel The Love” by Rudimental, a track personally chosen by King Charles.
American Idol returned for a live coast-to-coast broadcast, showcasing the top 8 contestants who performed solo renditions of Alanis Morissette classics and duets of Ed Sheeran hits. Sheeran and Morissette served as guest judges for the episode, replacing Perry and Richie, who were occupied with their performance at the coronation concert.
Before the performances commenced, Perry and Richie video-chatted from Windsor Castle to greet the contestants, Morissette, Sheeran, and fellow judge Luke Bryan. During their interaction, King Charles and Queen Camilla joined the video call, expressing their gratitude for the judges’ brilliant performances and making playful remarks about the room usage.
While the royal couple’s appearance was pre-taped due to the time difference and other commitments, Perry and Richie stayed up to watch the live broadcast. The judging responsibilities were handled by Bryan, Morissette, and Sheeran.
Overall, the surprise appearance of King Charles and Queen Camilla on American Idol created a memorable moment for the show’s viewers, showcasing the close relationship between the royals and the music industry while adding a touch of regal charm to the talent competition.