Queen (not that one!) to open Platinum Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace
Rock band Queen will open the Platinum Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace on Saturday 4 June.
The iconic British rock band will perform with singer Adam Lambert in a bumper show featuring stars like Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli and Sir Elton John.
Non-musicians like Sir David Attenborough and Stephen Fry will also make appearances.
The Platinum Party at the Palace will last around two-and-a-half hours, celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 70th anniversary of taking the throne.
It comes 20 years after Brian May performed God Save the Queen from the roof of Buckingham Palace at Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee.
Guitarist May said: “Twenty years after playing the Queen‘s glorious Golden Jubilee we’re very happy to be invited again.
“Then there was a moment when I wondered… after Buckingham Palace roof where can you go? Well… you will see!”
A crowd of 22,000 is expected to attend the Platinum Party at the Palace, with 10,000 tickets allocated to the general public and 7,500 to key workers, members of the armed forces, volunteers and charity workers.
The full concert will be broadcast by the BBC on television and online.
Who is performing?
Queen and Adam Lambert will be opening the three-stage mini-festival.
Alicia Keys, Nile Rodgers and Andrea Bocelli will also perform, as will Duran Duran, Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow, and George Ezra.
Sam Ryder, the UK’s most successful Eurovision entry in decades, will also play to the crowds.
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Sir Elton John will provide a pre-recorded act, dance troupe Diversity will perform and the evening will be rounded off by Diana Ross in her first live UK concert in 15 years.
She said: “Her Majesty has and continues to be such an incredible inspiration to so many across the world and I was absolutely delighted to receive an invitation to perform on such a momentous and historic occasion.”
Sir David Attenborough, Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Dame Julie Andrews, The Royal Ballet and Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds will all make appearances.
Global themes which emerged or evolved during the Queen’s reign will also be highlighted through a set of performances curated by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
These will explore British and Commonwealth contributions in the fields of fashion, sport, the environment, pop music and musicals.
They will include a special appearance by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda plus performances featuring the casts of The Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Six, The Lion King and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
