Time to celebrate! Elton John performed at the lunchtime reception following Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan (nee Meghan Markle)’s royal wedding on Saturday, May 19.
Palace officials confirmed on Saturday that Prince Harry personally asked the 71-year-old singer to take the stage at the event. John performed “Circle of Life,” “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer” and “I’m Still Standing.”
Back in 2011, Ellie Golding covered “Your Song” while singing at Prince William and Duchess Kate‘s nuptials.
John’s performance was fitting, given his close friendship with Prince Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana. The pair worked together to raise money for AIDS research and spread awareness about the disease, and John famously paid tribute to the Princess of Wales by performing “Candle in the Wind” at her funeral
John played coy about attending the event during a March interview with BBCRadio2. When host Chris Evans noted that the “Rocket Man” singer’s home in Windsor is within walking distance to the castle where the wedding will be held, John quipped back, “Within rolling distance. I’m on a hill, so I can just roll down there.”
The pianist also added at the time that he had yet to receive an invitation to the wedding. When Evans asked John if he’d hit the mic alongside other popular British acts including The Rolling Stones and the Spice Girls, he replied, “Oh, probably, and Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar. I mean, the Spice Girls, no one’s going to beat them off stage, are they? I mean, they’re huge.”
Although fans speculated that the Spice Girls would reunite at the royal affair, a source previously told Us in May that all five members would be attending the wedding as guests instead.
John was not the only A-list talent at the event. Back in February, as source told Us that Harry “personally requested Ed [Sheeran] to perform at his wedding.”
