Presenters Amanda Holden and Alan Carr led the stars arriving at the 2024 Royal Variety Performance, hours after the Queen pulled out due to lingering symptoms from a chest infection.
The King is scheduled to attend the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday which will see Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish present a musical number from their new show The Devil Wears Prada – based on the 2006 Oscar-nominated film.
Cast members Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly, and Matt Henry, who stars as art director Nigel, were among those posing on the red carpet ahead of the performance which showcases an original score by Sir Elton.
The variety show will also see debuts from British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor with her hit track Murder On The Dancefloor while Eurovision winner Nemo is also featured on the bill.
Also posing on the carpet were US magicians and comedy duo Penn and Teller, whose performance marks their 50th anniversary.
Comedy will come from Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, writer and comic Scott Bennett, Scottish comedian Larry Dean and political comic Matt Forde – who posed on the red carpet with a crutch after undergoing surgery for cancer on his spine.
Among the arrivals was TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who will make an appearance in this year’s show with her Change And Check Choir led by Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow.
The choir, made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Kelly’s campaign, will perform Love Is All Around, which is being re-released to raise awareness of breast cancer early detection.
It comes hours after Camilla insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest.
“With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.”
A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on’”.
“She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added.
The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December.
Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.
