Lionel Richie to Perform at King Charles’ Coronation Concert: What Is His Connection to the Royal Family?

Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Andrea Bocelli are among the star-studded lineup set to perform at King Charles’ coronation concert on Sunday.

While the performances are highly anticipated, Richie’s connection to the royal family goes back decades.

The singer first met Princess Diana in 1986 during his concert in London when he performed “Hello,” which was Diana’s favorite song.

Richie gifted two leather jackets to Diana’s sons, William and Harry, who were 4 and 2 at the time.

Lionel Richie’s special connection to the royal family

At a charity fundraising event for Jewish Care in 2015, Richie met Prince William and revealed that Diana had told him that Hello was her favorite song.

At King Charles’ coronation concert, Richie will perform a song that was personally requested by the king, although the details are being kept under wraps.

Richie praised Charles’ long-awaited ascent to the throne, saying, “He’s gonna change it up a little bit.”

Richie has collaborated with Charles on various charity initiatives and serves as the founding Global Ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, which helps young people “get into jobs, education and training.”

Richie shared that there is an air of secrecy surrounding the coronation concert, with little information available on the other performers or the production.

However, he promised that it would be “huge” and “off the charts.”

Perry’s mission to bring ‘light and love’ to the coronation

Meanwhile, Perry, who is also set to perform at the concert, was named as an ambassador of the British Asian Trust’s Children’s Protection Fund for India by Charles in 2020.

Perry first met the king in November 2019 in Mumbai when she was serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Perry said that she hoped to bring “light and love” to the coronation.

As a mother and a UNICEF ambassador, she emphasized the importance of protecting innocent children and fighting against child trafficking, which the British Asian Trust’s Children’s Protection Fund for India aims to do.

The coronation concert, which will take place on May 7, the day after Charles is officially crowned king alongside Camilla, is expected to be a grand celebration.

In addition to Richie, Perry, and Bocelli, other performers include Take That, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings, and Alexis Ffrench.

With such a star-studded lineup, the concert is sure to be a memorable event.Good