King Charles & Queen Camilla Make Surprise Appearance On ‘American Idol’

Just after Coronation Day on Saturday, King Charles and Queen Camilla made a shocking appearance on American Idol.

In a clip from Windsor Castle, American Idol judges Lionel Richie, 73, and Katy Perry, 38, told viewers they were thinking about bringing “something different to the show.” Perry then backed up, appearing surprised as she allowed Charles and Camilla to come into the frame.

“I just wanted to check, how long you will be using this room for?” Charles joked. They then talked about the “party next door,” referring to the coronation concert. “As soon as we finish… we’re coming to the party,” Richie and Perry said.

The two American Idol judges have been associated with the royal family in the past. Perry is an ambassador of The British Asian Trust, a charity co-founded by Charles to combat poverty in South Asia, while Richie became the First Global Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust in 2019.

Richie and Perry were the showcase performances at the coronation concert. Richie performed the Commodores’ song “Easy (Like Sunday Morning)” and the dance track “All Night Long” while Perry sang “Roar” and “Firework.” 20,000 people attended the concert, including royal family members. The event was hosted by Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville. Other notable appearances included cameos from Muppets characters Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog and a recorded message from Tom Cruise.

>WATCH HUGH BONNEVILLE’s uINTERVIEW NOW!

According to BBC One, there was an average of 10.1 million U.K. viewers who tuned into the concert, about 20% of the country.