Katy Perry, Lionel Richie to perform at King Charles III's Coronation Concert

Katy Perry and Lionel Richie have agreed to perform during King Charles III's Coronation Concert on Sunday, May 7 on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The announcement comes following news that a succession of other well-known artists have declined for various reasons.

The BBC announced the lineup of performances which aside from "The Voice" judges, will also include opera star Andrea Bocelli, British pop group Take That, singer/songwriter Freya Ridings, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and classical-soul composer/pianist Alexis Ffrench.

They will be "part of an eclectic line-up of artists who will perform at the event celebrating the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen in front of 20,000 members of the public and invited guests, as well as millions watching and listening at home – on BBC One and BBC iPlayer as well as BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds."

Both Perry, 38, and Richie, 73, have known King Charles III for years having served as ambassadors for his charities. Richie was The Prince's Trust's first Global Ambassador and Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group in 2019.

Meanwhile, Perry was appointed an ambassador of The British Asian Trust, a charity founded by His Majesty when he was Prince of Wales, in 2020, because of her long-standing commitment to charities around the world. This includes her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and her own Firework Foundation, which aims to empower "children from underserved communities by igniting their inner light through the arts."

In a statement, the "All Night Long" crooner shared his excitement to perform at King Charles III's Coronation Concert saying, "To share the stage with the other performers at The Coronation Concert is a once-in-a-lifetime event and it will be an honor and a celebration."

Meanwhile, global pop icon Perry said, "I am excited to be performing at the Coronation Concert, and helping to shine a further light on the British Asian Trust's Children's Protection Fund, whose work includes on-ground initiatives to fundraising, with the aim to find solutions to child trafficking."

News that Richie and Perry have agreed to perform at King Charles III's Coronation Concert comes after several high-profile artists turned down invitations. Ed Sheeran, Adele, Robbie Williams, Spice Girls, Elton John, Harry Styles, and Kylie Minogue were initially invited. But their schedules did not allow them time to be in the U.K. for the concert.

The former One Direction singer is said to be on a global tour and his itinerary does not bring him to the U.K. until after the coronation on May 22. A spokesperson for Minogue said she would be "out of the country" at that time. Williams is also in the middle of a global tour, and John's representative said his tour dates in Germany are in conflict with the date of the Coronation Concert. Sheeran also declined due to conflicts in his schedule.

Meanwhile, others have not stated their reasons for declining the invite. Adele may not be able to perform following news that she has extended her Las Vegas residency "Weekends with Adele." But her new shows do not start until June 16, 2023, according to Today.

Simon Jones, a publicist for Little Mix, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, told Page Six that the British Royal Family has faced "a number of PR disasters in recent times." He claimed that anyone performing at King Charles III's Coronation Concert "would have to consider whether there would be a backlash from appearing amongst their fans."

The BBC stated that other performers will be "announced shortly" and said that King Charles III's Coronation Concert "will celebrate a new chapter in the nation's history, with themes of love, respect, and optimism, celebrating the four nations, their communities, and the Commonwealth."