• Thu. Nov 21st, 2024

The Prince and Princess of Wales have made a surprise appearance to Windsor to meet fans congregating for the coronation concert.

Crowds started arriving at Windsor Castle hours before the star-studded concert starts at 8pm on Sunday, with many draped in Union flags and wearing Union flag dresses.

William and Kate were seen shaking hands and chatting to revellers, with William telling one group of well-wishers: “Enjoy the concert tonight.”

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be joining around 20,000 members of the public at the concert in Windsor where, along with other family members, they will see performances by Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

Ahead of the show on Sunday evening, thousands of street parties are taking place, with people encouraged to come together across the country for the Coronation Big Lunch.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended a big lunch in Cranleigh, while the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will attend a community street party in Swindon, and Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will attend a big lunch in Windsor.

Scores of people crowded around the couple, with William crouching down to chat to a boy and girl wearing golden crowns.

The prince and princess looked relaxed, with William telling one group of well-wishers: “Enjoy the concert tonight.”

The Prince of Wales has told royal fans his son Prince George is a big fan of rock bands AC/DC and Led Zeppelin during a surprise meet and greet.

William and Kate greeted Big Lunch attendees and coronation concert-goers in an unannounced walkabout for around 40 minutes on The Long Walk in Windsor on Sunday.

George, nine, played his first major ceremonial role at his grandfather’s coronation as a page of honour.

Caroline Mulvihill, from the Rock Choir in Windsor and Maidenhead, spoke to William during the meet and greet.

She told the PA news agency: “We were talking about the kind of music we do in Rock Choir and Will was telling us in their household they have a very diverse music taste and George is very much into AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. It was quite interesting to hear that.”

Sam Leckenby, another choir member who spoke to William, added: “They mentioned they were quite pleased yesterday’s ceremony wasn’t the original five hours long. They were just really lovely.”

“I’ve just spoken Sue Watson, 54, from Windsor who was one of the first members of the public Prince William and Catherine spoke to once they arrived”, – write Helena Wilkinson form BBC.

Sue told that they offered William a drink of their homemade ‘Purple Reign’ cocktail – it is made from gin, lemonade, Curaçao liquor and grenadine syrup.

She then offered him a cup.

“He opened the tap and took some out and tasted”, Sue tells me.

“He said it was very nice and offered some to Kate and she took some.”

Independent, BBC