Ed Sheeran performs at Jazz Fest in his first public show since his court appearance in New York, trying to prove he didn't copy Marvin Gaye's song.

Ed Sheeran Denies Claims Of Invite To Perform At King Charles' Coronation: 'Never Turned It Down'

Home / Entertainment / Ed Sheeran Denies Claims Of Invite To Perform At King Charles' Coronation: 'Never Turned It Down'

By Fiyin Olowokandi on May 8, 2023 at 3:45 PM PDT

Ed Sheeran is refuting claims about declining an invitation to perform at King Charles III's Coronation Concert on Sunday, May 7, at Windsor Castle.

Although reports previously confirmed that the English singer and a few others were asked to feature at the momentous event, Sheeran is now maintaining that he never received one.

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Ed Sheeran Claims He Did Not Decline Any Royal Invite To The Coronation Concert  

The "Beautiful People" singer, who spent the eve of May 7 as a guest judge on "American Idol," reportedly did not get an offer from Buckingham Palace to sing at the Coronation Concert.

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Ed Sheeran at the MTV EMa's 2021 in Budapest
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In a chat on SiriusXM earlier this month, he shared his intentions to "set the record straight" concerning the reports that he had declined the opportunity to sing, stating:

"Many people are telling me how it's random [Katy Perry and Lionel Richie] are going to sing at the King's Coronation... I want to clear something up."

He added that no one ever asked him to perform before explaining, "I assume if they went online and went 'what's Ed doing on May 6,' they would go 'oh he's playing in Dallas,' so I think that's what's happened."

The 32-year-old pointed out that he "never turned it down" because he was not asked. Nevertheless, he was excited to attend the "historic" ceremony.

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Although fans sadly did not get to see him perform, the concert appeared to be in the good hands of full-time "American Idol" judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

The duo was joined by brilliant fellow singers like Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, and Take That, while a few others, including Sheeran, were said to have rejected the chance to join them. One such star was the iconic Kylie Minogue, who could not perform as she was advised that her people in Australia would not appreciate it due to the rise of constitutional reform months after Queen Elizabeth II's death in September.

Other entertainers said to have turned down offers from Buckingham Palace included Elton John, the Spice Girls, Adele, Harry Styles, and Robbie Williams.

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The Spice Girls' Melanie C, Mel B, Geri Halliwell, and Emma Bunton sadly could not grace the bash despite hinting at a reunion months back. However, there has been chatter that they are gearing up for another world tour without Victoria Beckham.

Coronation King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla, London, UK - 6 May 2023
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As for Adele and Sheeran were previously placed at the top of the list of performers for the night, but it was reported that while the "Shape Of You" singer had a justifiable reason to decline, she did not. Sheeran was reportedly set to perform in Texas the day before the Coronation Concert, while the "Hello" songstress had no clashing event she was booked for.

According to an insider: "There is a team set up to get the talent signed up, so they approached the two but got replies saying they were unavailable. They are titans of the showbiz industry. And are quintessentially British but also known across the globe. It's such a shame."

The 'Take Me Back to London' Vocalist Replaced Lionel Richie On 'American Idol' Amid The King's Coronation

While Sheeran delighted millions of fans with a historic performance at the coronation, he seemingly did his bit to support the king's celebration. On Sunday, May 7, Sheeran was joined by Alanis Morissette as a guest judge on "American Idol," replacing Richie and Perry.

The pair partnered with Luke Bryan for the gig after being chosen ahead of the Royal occasion. Even so, Richie and Perry still checked into the show with live updates from the festivities in Britain — with a surprising cameo from King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Meanwhile, the substitutes were scheduled to step in on the program's "616" episode, where the U.S. will vote for the top 5 contestants left.

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Lionel Richie at the Coronation Concert held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, Berkshire, to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
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The gig marked Sheeran and Morissette's first appearance on the show, with the male vocalist performing his new song "Boat" while his partner belted out one of her numerous singles.

Furthermore, Morissette mentored the remaining five contestants who performed her songs live, whereas the finalists teamed up in twos to duet on some of Sheeran's hit songs.

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