The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to his “Pa” King Charles the day after the Coronation, saying the late Queen Elizabeth II would be “a proud mother”.
Addressing the crowds at Windsor Castle for the Coronation concert, William said his grandmother was “up there, fondly keeping an eye on us”.
He said this weekend was “so important” because it was all about service.
Highlighting King Charles’ achievements over the last 50 years, William said: “Pa, we are all so proud of you.”
And the heir to the throne made his own vow to the nation, saying: “I commit to serve you all. King, country and Commonwealth.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla were greeted with three cheers from the crowd as they took their seats in the castle grounds, with fans waving union flags and the royal couple waving back in return.
The royal couple – colour-coordinated in blue, with the Queen in a royal blue jumpsuit – smiled and waved their own flags during the performances.
The Princess of Wales attended with her and William’s oldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Prince Louis, who has just turned five, stayed at home after his busy day at the Coronation on Saturday.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were seated near the King and Queen, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak behind them. The Duke of York, Andrew, and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also attended.
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There was a crowd of 20,000 for the Windsor Castle concert
A message from the King was played at the start of the concert, saying he pledged to serve with loyalty, respect and love – no matter people’s backgrounds or beliefs.
Pete Tong Ibiza Classics featuring Vula and Jerub opened proceedings with Rudimental’s I Can Feel the Love.
Host Hugh Bonneville – the Paddington and Downton Abbey actor – addressed the royal guests and acknowledged the King’s love of the arts, joking that he was “the artist formerly known as prince”.
The concert also featured maestro Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel collaborating on You’ll Never Walk Alone, Olly Murs, who sang Dance with Me Tonight, with spoken word pieces amidst the music.
There were video cameos from a range of stars, including British acting legend Joan Collins, former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, artist Tracey Emin and Welsh singer Tom Jones – all of them recounting little-known facts about the monarch.
And Top Gun actor Tom Cruise performed a stunt in a plane in a pre-recorded segment – telling the King he could be his wingman “anytime”.
Members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Ballet, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and the Royal Opera also took part in the two-hour show, watched by 20,000 people who got tickets in a public ballot as well as many more on BBC One and BBC Radio 2.
The royal patronages came together for the first time, with a one-off performance from Romeo and Juliet featuring actor Ncuti Gatwa – the new Doctor Who – and Olivier Award nominee Mei Mac.
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Olly Murs was one of those performing at the concert
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The King and Queen watched the concert alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales and two of their children
William’s speech on stage came immediately after Lionel Richie’s performance – with the prince jokingly referring to one of the US singer-songwriter’s hits, saying: “I won’t go on all night long.”
In his speech, William thanked everyone for making it “such a special evening” before turning to the significance of the weekend.
“As my grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future,” he said. “And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a proud mother.
“For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message. Service.”
He said that after entering Westminster Abbey for Saturday’s service, the first words spoken by his father were his pledge to continue to serve.
“For over 50 years, in every corner of the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world, he has dedicated himself to serve others, both current and future generations, and those whose memory must not be neglected,” said William.
William said he was “so proud” of his father
He praised the King for warning about damage to the environment “long before it was an everyday issue”, and for his work with the Prince’s Trust, the charity Charles set up which supports young people.
“Perhaps most importantly of all, my father has always understood that people of all faiths, all backgrounds, and all communities, deserve to be celebrated and supported,” he said.
“Pa, we are all so proud of you.”
The prince closed by giving his thanks to those who serve “in the forces, in classrooms, hospital wards and local communities” before offering his own vow of service.
Similar concerts – like last June’s Platinum Party at the Palace to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne, and the Golden Jubilee concert a decade previously – had been held with Buckingham Palace as the backdrop.
But this time, it was Windsor Castle’s turn to host, with the event staged in the east terrace of the castle.
The stage resembled the union jack flag, with catwalks jutting out from the centre, and creating multiple levels for the 70-piece orchestra and band.
