Why Is Katy Perry Performing At King Charles’ Coronation? Her Connection To The Crown Explained

Topline

American pop star Katy Perry will perform during King Charles’ coronation ceremony Saturday, the first for the United Kingdom in 70 years, after the Grammy Award-nominated artist—one of two Americans, and virtually no major UK stars, performing at the event—was asked by Charles to appear.

Katy Perry was announced as a performer for King Charles’ coronation.

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Key Facts

Perry was announced alongside Lionel Richie, the British pop group Take That, opera stars Andrea Bocelli and Bryn Terfel, Freya Ridings and Alexis Ffrench as performers for a coronation concert on May 7, according to the BBC.

Charles and Perry first met during an event in Mumbai in 2019, before Charles appointed Perry as an ambassador for the British Asian Trust a year later.

Charles said Perry was appointed to the charity because she has a “long-standing commitment to charitable causes around the world”—though some criticized the decision because Perry is neither British nor Asian.

Perry referred to her friendship with Charles during her introduction to the charity—founded by Charles in 2007—and said Charles was a “very kind soul,” adding he had asked her if she “could sing to his plants.”

After being announced as a performer for Charles’ coronation, Perry suggested her performance would help “shine a further light on the British Asian Trust’s Children Protection Fund.”

Richie, a Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer, is also connected to Charles: He was appointed by the former Prince of Wales as the first global ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, a charity founded by Charles in 1976.

Surprising Fact

Perry told Extra she will be staying at Windsor Castle prior to Saturday’s events, adding she will be posting “a lot” of images of the castle to social media.

Big Number

$25 million. That’s how much Perry is earning per season of American Idol, adding to her estimated net worth of $38.5 million.

Tangent

Several British performers have declined invitations to perform at the coronation, with much speculation they wanted to avoid being associated with recent Buckingham Palace scandals, from the alleged mistreatment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, to Prince Andrew’s alleged sexual relationship with one of the late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking victims. Elton John—who was close with Charles’ late, ex-wife, Princess Diana—declined, blaming scheduling conflicts. The Spice Girls denied rumors of a reunion at the event, indicating the group would not have enough time to rehearse beforehand. Ed Sheeran—who recently appeared in Manhattan federal court over plagiarism allegations—declined an invitation also because of scheduling conflicts. Adele, who was named a member of the Order of the British Empire by Charles in 2013, and Harry Styles also declined to perform.

Key Background

King Charles will be crowned Saturday during the United Kingdom’s traditional coronation ceremony, eight months after he ascended to the throne following Queen Elizabeth II’s death. The event will include an estimated 2,000 guests and will feature a number of historical relics. The coronation—the first in the social media age—will also feature an emoji modeled after St. Edward’s Crown. Perry, a 13-time Grammy Award-nominated pop star, was noted by Charles and the royal family for her charity work, specifically her time as a global ambassador for UNICEF.