Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, more to perform at King Charles III’s coronation: ‘What an honor’

King Charles III’s coronation concert is about being a party.

The British monarch, crowned Saturday, will celebrate with a star-studded Sunday concert broadcast across the BBC’s channels.

The news organization announced the long-awaited list of performers, which includes “American Idol” judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry as well as local British stars. The artists will perform at Windsor Castle.

Perry and Richie were some of the early arrivals Saturday morning for the coronation ceremony. Perry donned a lilac dress and short-sleeved peplum jacket with matching opera gloves and fascinators.

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Lionel Richie will perform at King Charles III's coronation concert on May 7.

Lionel Richie will perform at King Charles III’s coronation concert on May 7.

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Lionel Richie says King Charles III’s coronation concert will be ‘an honor’

Richie, 73, is just as excited for the pomp and circumstance of Charles’ coronation as everyone else. “I mean, you don’t get in the business and say, ‘You know what? I’ll be at the king’s coronation.’ That just never comes up,” the “All Night Long” singer told People Sunday. “(It’s) A, a surprise. B, what an honor. And C, the fact of all the names that are out there that he could have had for this, he called my name.”

The singer said he has known Charles, 74, “for a long time” and is looking forward to seeing him “stepping into the king’s role.”

“He’s been in that princely role for a long time, but I’m anxious to see what he’s going to now change as far as his reign.”

Lionel Richie arrives at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, ahead of the coronations of Britain's King Charles III and Britain's Camilla, Queen Consort.

Lionel Richie arrives at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, ahead of the coronations of Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort.

When it comes to the actual event, Richie said he’s looking forward to the light show that will accompany the coronation concert.

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

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Katy Perry and British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.

Katy Perry and British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.

Perry also has a close relationship with the British monarch, having been appointed an ambassador of The British Asian Trust in 2020. The charity was founded by Charles.

“I am excited to be performing at the Coronation Concert, and helping to shine a further light on the British Asian Trust’s Children’s Protection Fund, whose work includes on-ground initiatives to fundraising, with the aim to find solutions to child trafficking,” the “Firework” singer said in BBC’s news release.

Katy Perry and King Charles both work with the British Asian Trust charity.

Katy Perry and King Charles both work with the British Asian Trust charity.

British pop group Take That, Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench are the remaining artists that will take the stage for the coronation concert.

Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen of Take That told the BBC, “This will be our first live show since the Odyssey Tour, four years ago in 2019, and what a stage to come back on! A huge live band and orchestra, a choir, military drummers, the backdrop of Windsor Castle and the celebration of a new King. We can’t wait.”

Bocelli is bridging his relationship with the late monarch Queen Elizabeth II by participating in the coronation concert.

“I have had the great honor of singing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on several occasions,” Bocelli said. “It is now another great honor to be asked to perform at the Coronation Concert of King Charles III.”

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Who else is performing at the coronation concert?

In addition to the headliners, a choir drawn from amateur troupes across the United Kingdom, including refugee choirs, National Health Service choirs, LGBTQ singing groups and deaf signing choirs will take the stage at Windsor Castle. The “Coronation Choir” will perform alongside another one made up of singers from across the Commonwealth who will appear virtually during the televised concert.

Ed Sheeran says he wasn’t invited to perform: ‘No one ever asked me’

Ed Sheeran was not asked to perform at King Charles III’s coronation concert, the “Shape of You” singer clarified.

“I wanted to clear something up actually because there was so much stuff in the press that I turned down the coronation and no one ever asked me ever,” he said during an interview on SiriusXM’s “The Morning Mash Up.” “I assume if they went online and went, ‘What’s Ed doing on May 6?’ they would’ve been like, ‘Oh, he’s playing in Dallas.’ I think that’s what happened, but obviously the press had a negative story of lots of people turning down the coronation, but I never ever turned it down.”

All that aside, he is looking forward to taking in the show, he said. “I’m excited to tune into that. It’s historic, isn’t it?”

Contributing: Morgan Hines

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ed Sheeran not asked to sing at coronation, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie will

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