King Charles was all smiles as he made a solo entrance at the 2024 Royal Variety Performance on Friday evening, marking his first appearance as patron of the Royal Variety Charity since taking on the role earlier this year.
The 76-year-old monarch arrived at London’s iconic venue without the Queen, who had to pull out at the last minute due to lingering symptoms from a recent chest infection.
The King, who has attended the event for more than 50 years, was greeted by Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa, before being introduced to the President of the Royal Albert Hall, Ian McCulloch, and the CEO of the venue, James Ainscough.
As he moved down the line, Charles exchanged pleasantries with Giles Cooper OBE, chairman of the Royal Variety Charity, who expressed his sympathy for the Queen’s absence.
“Very sorry to hear Her Majesty couldn’t make it,” Cooper told the King, before introducing him to notable guests, including Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, who have recently produced hit musical The Devil Wears Prada. The King also met stars from Oliver! including Simon Lipkin and Jack Philpott.
Inside the venue, Charles was shown a stunning knitted model of the Royal Variety Performance stage, created by residents of Brinsworth House, the Royal Variety Charity’s care home in Twickenham. The intricate piece, featuring Sir Elton at the piano, had already been given the royal seal of approval by the Duchess of Edinburgh earlier this year at the Royal Windsor Flower Show.
A young 10-year-old, Louie Cooper, then presented the King with the evening’s programme, while eight-year-old Iris King-Taylor offered a beautiful posy of flowers meant for the Queen. The bouquet, hand-picked from Brinsworth House’s gardens, was a tribute to the flowers Her Majesty carried on her wedding day. Charles, smiling warmly, asked Louie, “Have you had a look at it?” before turning to Mr Cooper and commenting, “Very well organised.”
As the King made his way to the Royal Box, the audience rose to their feet as the national anthem played, accompanied by a fanfare from state trumpeters. The royal family has a long history with the Royal Variety Performance, with Charles attending for the 16th time and first appearing in 1968.
Hosted by Alan Carr and Amanda Holden, the event featured star-studded performances, including a musical number from The Devil Wears Prada featuring Sir Elton John and Vanessa Williams, as well as a performance from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express. Other highlights included magic from Penn and Teller, comedy from Matt Forde, and appearances from Cirque Du Soleil and the English National Ballet. TV presenter Lorraine Kelly also took to the stage with her Change and Check choir, raising awareness for early breast cancer detection.
The national anthem was sung by Marisha Wallace, an American singer and actress who is starring in Dreamgirls, who said the moment was “life changing”.
Before the performance she wrote on X: “Today I will be singing the British National Anthem at Royal Variety for the Royal Family and the nation. And as someone who is an expat and is only a couple weeks away from citizenship this means a lot. Thank you British public for adopting me and accepting me. Life changing.
“I never thought I 8 years ago when I got here I would be doing all this and the support I have gotten from you all has really helped. I’m feeling very Brit-ish today.”
She later performed And I Am Telling You.
Charles was clearly entertained during a political sketch by comedian Matt Forde.
Forde, renowned for his sharp impressions, took aim at some of the more outlandish claims made by US president-elect Donald Trump during his campaign.
In his routine, Forde mimicked Trump’s bizarre allegations that illegal immigrants from Haiti were supposedly “eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs” in Springfield, Ohio.
With impeccable timing, Forde turned to the royal box and addressed the King directly: “Your Majesty, King Charles, you’re named after a spaniel – be very careful, they’ll eat you alive!”
As the camera panned to the King, the monarch could be seen chuckling heartily at the gag, clearly amused by the sharp wit. It was a light-hearted moment during an evening packed with star-studded performances and political satire.
The Royal Variety Performance, which will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and STV Player in December, raises funds for the Royal Variety Charity, supporting those in the entertainment industry in need of assistance. This year, the charity has launched a new initiative focusing on mental health support.
Though the Queen was originally expected to join the King at the event, her doctors advised her to prioritise rest after experiencing post-viral symptoms from a recent chest infection. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that the Queen, 77, had withdrawn from the performance “with great regret” but hoped to return to full health soon.
A royal source revealed that the Queen, who has returned to duties following a recent tour of Australia and Samoa, was “naturally disappointed” to miss the evening but remained committed to the idea that “the show must go on.”
The Queen will stay in London before heading to Sandringham for the week, with plans to resume her public duties soon.
