Sorry, Charlie: Palace can’t get big-name artists to perform at King Charles’ coronation yet

Almost 70 years after Queen Elizabeth II was anointed, Buckingham Palace is throwing a similar celebration, this time for Charles III and his wife, Lady Camilla, who will be crowned King and Queen on May 6. The historic weekend will include a Coronation Big Lunch, which promises both food and fun, followed by a volunteering event called the Big Help Out. There’s also going to be a public Coronation Concert, albeit with a scant lineup of performers.

In recent weeks, numerous headliners for Charles’ coronation have reportedly declined their invitations to perform. Per the Daily Mail, Adele and Ed Sheeran were the first to say no, even after Charles said he “was very keen that they were part of the concert.”

“There is a team set up to get the talent signed up, so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment,” said an unnamed source involved with the event, per Marie Claire. “They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British, but also known across the globe. It’s such a shame.”

Sheeran allegedly dropped out due to traveling conflicts — he is slated to appear at a show in Texas the day before the Coronation Concert — while Adele provided no reason for her decision. Adele is also not scheduled to perform publicly after March 25. During a Wednesday performance at her Las Vegas residency, she told fans that she’s struggling with chronic back pain and sciatica. 

Following suit were Harry Styles, Elton John and the Spice Girls, who all declined their invitations on Monday due to busy schedules, per The Sun. As of last month, the Spice Girls were seemingly confirmed to perform before they dropped out for good, disappointing fans who were hoping for a reunion. Both Styles and John are on tour and won’t be able to fit the concert into their schedules.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

“I wouldn’t quite panic yet,” Christopher Andersen, a royal biographer, told Fox News. “There is also a long list of American pop stars chomping at the bit to perform,” he added, noting that Diana Ross, Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli performed at the late queen’s Platinum Jubilee last year and would likely get invited back.

Regardless, the show must go on. At this time, Kylie Minogue has reportedly agreed to perform along with boy band Take That, who previously performed at the 2007 Concert for Diana and are now rumored to be headlining the concert. Lionel Richie has also accepted his invitation to perform. Additional acts are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.