The Prince of Wales paid tribute to his father, King Charles, on the day after his Coronation, saying the late Queen Elizabeth II would be “a proud mother”. Addressing crowds at the Coronation concert held at Windsor Castle, Prince William said that his grandmother was “up there, fondly keeping an eye on us”. He also praised his father’s achievements over the last 50 years, saying “Pa, we are all so proud of you.”
The Coronation concert was a celebration of King Charles’ ascension to the throne and featured a range of musical performances from stars such as Katy Perry and Take That, as well as spoken word pieces and skits involving Muppet Show stars Kermit and Miss Piggy. The concert also included performances from members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Ballet, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music, and the Royal Opera.
The concert was attended by the King and Queen, who were color-coordinated in blue with the Queen wearing a royal blue jumpsuit. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were seated near the King and Queen, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak seated behind them. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his ex-wife the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, also attended, as did Zara Tindall and her husband Mike.
The crowd of 20,000 people got their tickets in a public ballot, with many more watching performances from stars including Katy Perry and Take That on BBC One and BBC Radio 2.
In his speech, Prince William thanked everyone for making it “such a special evening” before turning to the significance of the weekend. “As my grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future,” he said. “And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a proud mother. For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message. Service.”
Prince William made a vow to the nation, saying: “I commit to serve you all. King, country, and Commonwealth.”
The concert was a rare opportunity for the Royal Family to come together and celebrate King Charles’ ascension to the throne. The performances and speeches highlighted the importance of service and the commitment of the Royal Family to serve the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Overall, the event was a fitting tribute to King Charles and a celebration of the enduring strength of the British monarchy.
