By Mark Gray
7:27am PST, Mar 10, 2023
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King Charles III is getting tuned out. Although the British sovereign's coronation should, in theory, be an event with massive worldwide appeal, the monarchy is struggling to find an artist interested in performing at a May extravaganza celebrating the new king. In fact, Rolling Stone reports that a number of British pop artists have already turned down the opportunity to provide the entertainment — a stunning break from royal events of the past in which artists would essentially beg to perform. "The royal family has faced a number of PR disasters in recent times, and anyone performing at the show would have to consider whether there would be a backlash from appearing amongst their fans," a rep for several British acts — including two One Direction members — told the magazine.
Keep reading to see what artists have reportedly turned down an offer to perform during the events marking the May 6 coronation.
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The Spice Girls were reportedly asked to perform for King Charles III's coronation but declined. Interestingly, one Spice Girl has history with the king. Back in 1997, Geri Halliwell kissed then-Prince Charles on the cheek at an event. The innocent smooch was a huge break in royal protocol and etiquette and was considered scandalous at the time.
MORE: The first 29 British royals in the line of success behind King Charles III
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Adele was reportedly asked to perform at King Charles III's coronation, but she refused. "The pomp and money this coronation is costing doesn't represent her values at all," an Adele superfan told Rolling Stone. "She's for the 'everyday person,' and the everyday younger person in London doesn't rate the royal family anymore."
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Harry Styles was reportedly asked to perform for King Charles III's coronation. He said no. In speaking about both Harry and Adele, a top British music publicist told Rolling Stone, "For them right now, storytelling is really important. These big symbolic associations carry a lot of weight and literally go down in history books in bold and underlined. I can understand why there'd be a big PR discussion around artists doing it or not."
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British pop star Robbie Williams was reportedly asked to perform at King Charles III's coronation, but he's declined.
