Pop princess Kylie Minogue gave a royal serende at St James’s Palace on Wednesday.The 44-year-old Australian sang to the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to mark their Jubilee Tour to her home country.
Charles and Camilla are heading Down Under next month to begin their tour of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. And so fittingly famous faces and dignitaries from the three nations joined the royal couple at the event, which featured a performance from the pop legend.
By royal appointment the Wow singer sung three pared-down songs for her hosts and their 200 guests whish included comedian Barry Humphries - aka Dame Edna Everage, - musician and artist Rolf Harris, former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick and soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. The audience were certainly in for a treat as Kylie chose three of her best loved hits On a Night Like This, the Locomotion and I Believe in You.
Ahead of her performance, the songstress excitedly tweeted "One is on one's way to St James's Palace" attaching a picture of a soldier on guard duty outside the historic building in central London. Kylie is no stranger to royal performances, having most recently sung at the spectacular Diamond Jubilee Concert in June.
Looking senstational in a black evening dress, Kylie was joined on stage by two backing singers, a guitarist and a pianist for the evening that was relaxed but full of fun. The singer also struck up a good rapport with her audience, asking them before she performed the Locomotion "are you ready to swing your hips now?" and those who were so lucky to witness the performance clearly enjoyed it, with Clarence House tweeting "a brilliant performance from Kylie Minogue tonight as part of the reception hosted by The Prince and Duchess ahead of the tour #wowwowwowwow"The star, who beat breast cancer in 2005, is celebrating her 25 years in the music industry with the release of her 12th album entitled The Abbey Road Sessions. The record features 16 songs from her lengthy career, as well as new orchestral arrangements, recorded in the famous Abbey Road studios where the Beatles created their inspirational music.
In a nod to their Antipodean hosts, Charles and Camilla's evening also featured a rousing Haka by traditional Maori dancers and the appearance of an Australian Rules football. Charles, who was educated at Geelong Grammar School near Melbourne as a youngster, has visited the country many times before and laughed when the ball was offered to him.
But the trip will provide his wife Camilla’s first visit to Australia and according to Kylie, who had scowered the pair’s wide ranging tour schedule, they are giving the vast country "a good shot."
Keen for her homeland to impress, the ex-Neighbours star said she hoped couple received "a beautiful warm welcome and enjoy the hospitality Australia offers," before saying “Boy voyage” to Charles and Camilla and wishing them a "fantastic trip".