As part of the Queen’s anniversary marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth, Queen and Lambert will open the concert with a very special one-off production which will no doubt summon memories of Brian May’s historic appearance on the Palace roof at the Golden Jubilee Concert in 2002.
“Twenty years after playing The Queen’s glorious Golden Jubilee we’re very happy to be invited again,” says May. “Then there was a moment when I wondered … after Buckingham Palace roof where can you go? Well … you will see!!!”
The event will also feature performances by Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow, George Ezra, Duran Duran, Andrea Bocelli, Mimi Webb, Sam Ryder, Jax Jones, Celeste, Nile Rodgers, Sigala and Diversity – all performing their biggest hits in a star-studded tribute to Her Majesty’s unprecedented anniversary.
Stars from the stage and screen, and the sporting world appearing at the event and on film will include Sir David Attenborough, Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Dame Julie Andrews, The Royal Ballet, Ellie Simmonds, and a specially recorded performance from Sir Elton John. Sam Ryder, the United Kingdom’s Eurovision hero, will also perform live, fresh from his success in Italy.
The evening will pivot around global themes that have been born, or evolved, during the breadth of Her Majesty’s reign due to extraordinary British and Commonwealth contributions including Fashion, Sport, The Environment, 70 Years of Pop Music and Musicals – the latter curated by legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring a special appearance by Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda plus performances featuring casts and special guests from The Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Six, The Lion King and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
Closing the 2.5-hour show will be legend Diana Ross with her first UK live performance in fifteen years.
Hosts Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp will lead live coverage of the Platinum Party at the Palace to be broadcast live across the BBC. 22,000 people will attend the event including 10,000 tickets allocated in a public ballot and over 7,500 tickets for key workers, members of the Armed Forces, volunteers, and charities.
Further details and additional artists will be confirmed closer to the event - with some surprises left for the evening itself.
Queen and Lambert will launch a 36-date Rhapsody Tour across the UK and Europe in Belfast on May 27. See also:
Queen stream Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for 30th anniversary
Ann Wilson streams cover of Queen classic featuring Vince Gill
Journey and Queen classics added to US National Recording Registry
Queen revisit decade with Adam Lambert on final episode of The Greatest
Search Queen at hennemusic
