The BBC made Rod Stewart sing Sweet Caroline to finish off his set at the Platinum Party at the Palace, the 77-year-old entertainer has said. The gig took place at Buckingham Palace in London this evening on a specially constructed 360 degree stage, and fans were overjoyed to see Rod performing some of his biggest hits - as well as UK anthem Sweet Caroline, as Prince George and Prince William sang along and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall waved their flags.
However, fans noticed the crooner sounded a little off key when he sang the Neil Diamond number but the rocker told the 22,000 strong crowd at the Jubilee celebration event: "The BBC made me sing this one." The 77-year-old even asked the crowd - including Prince William and Kate - to "join in, make it comfortable for me" as he launched into the catchy track, reports the Mirror.
And although some fans will be confused why the track left Rod feeling less than enthused - footie experts will know the catchy number is closely linked to Rangers FC which are arch rivals of the star's beloved Celtic. During an interview with BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty, Rod opened up about his love for Her Majesty.
Read more: BBC's Platinum Party at the Palace viewers confused after Rod Stewart performance
“I’ve grown up with this woman,” Rod recalled. “I was seven when she came to the throne. “So, she’s always been part of my life, and the fact that I’ve met her on seven occasions makes it even more important for me.”
“What does she mean to you?” Naga asked him. “You’ve met her on a few occasions, that must have been amazing.” Rod got a little emotional as he explained: “She’s been so much part of my life, she’s almost like a sister.
“She’s always been in the background of my life”, he added. For one night only, some of the biggest names in the music industry came out in force to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which marks Her Majesty's 70 years on the throne.
However, during his set, some fans were puzzled by his voice whilst other fans took to Twitter to share their excitement to see him back on stage and said they loved his performance. "Rod Stewart cringeworthy #platinumpartyatthepalace," one fan wrote, as a second added: "God sake, someone please make Rod Stewart stop!!!! #PlatinumPartyatthePalace."
A third shared: "Time to hang up the microphone Rod #PlatinumPartyatthePalace," whilst others were much more positive about his performance, with a fourth writing: "Well done Rod Stewart. Feel good sing-a-long! #SweetCaroline #PlatinumPartyatthePalace."
