King Charles was reportedly “very keen” to have Adele and Ed Sheeran performing at his coronation but they either declined or didn’t respond to the offer.
The new monarch will be officially coronated on May 7, the day after he takes over from the late Queen Elizabeth II who died last year.
According to sources close to the project (via OK!), the King asked the team behind the event to reach out to the two superstar musicians to try and have them involved.
Sheeran was unable to make the concert due to logistics and previous touring commitments, while Adele did not respond to the request.
The source, an organiser of the event, said: “The King has suggested a number of people he would like to perform and Adele and Ed were on that list.
“He was very keen that they were part of the concert… There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment. They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe. It’s such a shame.”
Alhough no names have been confirmed for the concert so far, names reportedly touted include Lionel Richie, Spice Girls and Harry Styles.
Ed Sheeran. Credit: Joseph Okpako/WireImage
A ballot opened last month giving the public the opportunity to attend the concert at Windsor Castle to mark the coronation, with a total of 10,000 free tickets available.
The concert will be broadcast on BBC TV, radio and online, with the BBC confirming a line-up that will feature “musical icons and contemporary stars”, which is still to be confirmed. The ballot will be open until 11.59pm on February 28 with 5000 pairs of tickets available. Find out more and enter the ballot here.
The BBC has said that tickets would be allocated based on the geographical spread of the UK population. Those who are successful will be notified by late April.
“Attended by a public audience including volunteers from The King and The Queen Consort’s many charity affiliations, the concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favourites fronted by fantastic entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance and the arts,” the BBC said in a statement.
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