King Charles and Lionel Richie.Photo: Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty
Lionel Richieis no stranger to performing on a global stage, but it’s his appearance at the upcoming Coronation Concert forKing CharlesandQueen Camillathat has him saying, “Pinch me, somebody!”
“I’m really trying to be, ‘This is a calm moment for me.’ I’m so excited,” Richie, 73, toldSkyNewsduring thegarden party. “I’m like a kid at Christmas time!”
“To have the relationship that I have with King Charles, it’s just great,” added the Commodores co-lead singer, who opened up about his connection to the monarch.
“I’ve known His Majesty now for a couple of years. And so, to celebrate this with him and the Queen is just going to be so much fun,” said Richie, who wasappointedtheFirst Global Ambassadorand First Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince’s Trust in 2019. Charles established the charity in 1976 to provide resources for disadvantaged youth, and the organizationstatesit has since worked with over one million young people (includinga young, then-struggling actor named Idris Elba!).
“Does this ever happen? No,” Richie said, referencing the fact that the May 6coronationwill be the first in the U.K sinceQueen Elizabethwascrowned in 1953. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so, you know, to be a part of it is everything.”
Queen Camilla, Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi.Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty
As for what Richie will perform at Sunday’s Coronation Concert, the singer coyly called his performance a"royal secret"during a recent chat withExtra.
“I must tell you I can’t say a word — it’s a royal secret,” the “All Night Long” crooner said. “They told me, ‘Don’t reveal.’ But I would tell everybody if I could… I am trying my best to contain myself, but it’s going to be one in a million times in history to be part of something like this.”
Katy Perry and Prince Charles.Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/ Getty
At Sunday’s concert, members of beloved British pop band Take That, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench will also take the stage, which is being built outside the eastern facade of Windsor Castle. It boasts anelaborate setupthat includes multiple levels for the 70-piece orchestra and band in the form of an abstracted Union Jack. Four additional catwalks branch out of the flag geometry from the stage into the crowd to create more areas for performers.
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Lionel Richie and King Charles.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Synchronized with the show, “Lighting up the Nation” will see iconic locations across the U.K. illuminated with projections, lasers and drone displays.
Want to watch the show? The Coronation Concert will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
source: people.com
