The Palace eventually ‘relented’ to the pop star’s bold demand, per a new book

Katy Perry reportedly ‘demanded’ to get the same royal treatment as Lionel Richie 

Katy Perry and her team caused quite a stir during King Charles’ coronation concert in 2023, a new book claims.

The pop star was invited to perform at the star-studded ceremony on May 7, 2023, a day after the official crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla following Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Since the concert was on a Sunday, Perry and her team were allowed to stay at Windsor Castle.

But according to author Robert Johnson’s upcoming book The Windsor Legacy, the Fireworks hitmaker practically forced the Palace to allow her to stay after learning that her American Idol co-judge Lionel Richie (who also performed at the concert) was offered the same privilege.

“Lionel Richie, a Prince’s Trust ally, was invited to stay at Windsor Castle after the show, prompting Katy Perry and her team to demand the same treatment,” Jonhson writes in the book, according to an excerpt obtained by US Weekly.

“The palace bigwigs eventually relented, but Perry’s entourage caused a stir by partying late into the night, straying into restricted areas,” the author adds.

Hosted by Hugh Bonneville and held outside Windsor Castle, the concert featured performances by Perry, Richie, Andrea Bocelli, Nicole Scherzinger, and more. It was attended by 20,000 members of the public, as well as members of the royal family, including Prince William, Princess Kate, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Charlotte, who was 9 years old at the time, was spotted singing along to Perry’s powerful rendition of Roar.

Ahead of the performance, Perry told the crowd, “I am so happy to be here with you people, I love you so much. I’m so happy to celebrate this whole weekend. I got to bring my mum, she is so happy to be here and we get to stay in Windsor Castle — no big deal.”

In an interview with Extra a month before the gig, she teased, “They said I’m allowed to stay at Windsor Castle, which I’m really excited for. I might be posting a lot, because I’m going to be in a castle for real. This is wild.”

Buckingham Palace thanked the multi-Grammy-nominee for her performance, commenting under her Instagram post, “Thank you for a fantastic performance at the Coronation Concert.”