King Charles coronation playlist: Harry Styles and The Beatles, but no Elton John
The singer of ‘Candle in the Wind,’ who performed at Princess Diana’s funeral, has not been included in the list of songs to celebrate the event
Ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on May 6, the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has released a “Coronation Celebration Playlist” on Spotify. The 27-song playlist includes Queen’s triumphant anthem We Are the Champions, Michael Bublé’s uplifting hit It’s a Beautiful Day and Treat People with Kindness by Grammy winner Harry Styles. Of the 27 artists and bands included in the playlist, only three are not British: German-Caribbean outfit Boney M., Canada’s Bublé and Jamaica’s Grace Jones.
Also notable is the absence of British singer Elton John, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and a close friend of Diana of Wales – his performance of Candle in the Wind at the princess’s funeral was one of the most moving moments of the ceremony.
The playlist initially featured 28 songs, but a track by rapper Dizzee Rascal – who was convicted last year of assaulting his ex-partner – quickly disappeared. “A track featuring Dizzee Rascal was included in error – and as soon as this was identified, it was removed,” a DCMS spokeswoman told BBC News.
According to the spokeswoman, the songs selected were chosen to “celebrate British and Commonwealth artists ahead of the upcoming coronation.” But of the 56 member states that make up the Commonwealth, there are only artists from three.
The nearly two-hour long playlist was released on the new website for King Charles’s coronation, which launched on February 6. There is nothing casual about that date: on the same day in 1952, Elizabeth was named queen after the death of her father. The website includes in-depth information about the coronation, how to get involved and the activities on offer. The main act will take place in Westminster Abbey, on Saturday, May 6, and on Sunday, May 7, there will be a concert at Windsor Castle that “will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favorites fronted by some of the world’s biggest entertainers,” according to a royal statement.
On Sunday, residents and communities are invited to “share food and fun” at the Coronation Big Lunches. And on Monday, May 8 – which has been declared a national holiday – people are encouraged to volunteer for a local charity as part of The Big Help Out.
The new website also offers downloadable activities for children and several recipes, including one for “coronation aubergine.” When Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1953, the so-called “coronation chicken” was created in her honor. The dish, a combination of cold cooked chicken and a creamy mayonnaise-based source, has since become a British classic.
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