In a twist that only the Queen of Country could deliver, Dolly Parton recently shared the light-hearted reason she had to decline an invitation for tea with none other than Kate Middleton.
At 77, Dolly continues to dazzle with her spirited charm and unwavering passion for music. While in London, the iconic Jolene singer received an invitation from Kate, 41, Princess of Wales.
Yet, much to the surprise of many, she had to pass on the royal rendezvous. Speaking on BBC Radio 2, Dolly exclaimed: "This time, Lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate but I couldn't even go."
Expressing genuine appreciation for the gesture, she mused: "I thought it was very sweet and nice of her to invite me and one of these days I'm going to get to do that – that would be great."
But never one to miss an opportunity for a quip, she added with a chuckle: "But she wasn't going to promote my rock album so I had to say no."
While in London, Dolly confessed to host Claudia Winkleman about her longing to explore the city more. "I love the people, the feel of London," she shared warmly, reminiscing about past times when she and her band would go sightseeing.
Dolly's undying spirit for music and performance has always been at the core of her identity. Even after dominating the industry for nearly six decades, the thought of retirement is far from her mind.
In a candid conversation with Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio, Dolly declared: "I would never retire. I would hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday – and hopefully one I've written – but that's how I hope to go."
With her characteristic zest, she added: "I don't have much of a choice in that but in the meantime, I'm going to make hay while the sun shines."
The legendary singer-songwriter boasts a treasure trove of over 3,000 songs, including timeless anthems like I Will Always Love You. And while she's committed to the stage, Dolly admits she's dialed down on the touring front.
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"I'm not touring anymore but I will continue to do special shows here and there," she revealed, highlighting the challenges of extensive tours at this stage in her life.
However, fans can rejoice as Dolly has no intention of fading from the limelight. She voiced her aspirations to delve deeper into television and film, sharing her dream of a TV series centered around her life, tentatively titled The Life of Many Colours.
"Stuff that people haven't seen or heard about me and where I come from and how I got to be how and who I am. The bad, the good, and the ugly!" Dolly quipped.
Furthermore, she has aspirations for a makeup line, a collection of wigs, and even clothing. "Once you get to a certain place in your career," she noted, "you get a lot of offers and some of them are just really hard to turn down."
In the midst of these revelations, Dolly announced Rockstar, her 49th studio album, set to debut in November.
This anticipated album will feature an eclectic mix of 30 songs, blending Dolly's original compositions with classic rock covers, and collaborations with musical powerhouses such as Elton John, Sting, and Pink.