It’s not easy being King, and Adele and Ed Sheeran sure aren’t making it any easier: The two singers have reportedly declined King Charles III’s invitations to perform at an upcoming concert in celebration of his coronation.
OK! reports that King Charles had specifically wanted the duo to perform at the concert, which is scheduled for May 7th, the day after he officially takes over for the late Queen Elizabeth III.
Sheeran chalked his absence up to scheduling conflicts, noting that he has a concert in Texas the day before and it would be difficult to make it back to England in time.
Adele, however, didn’t offer an explanation, and she doesn’t have any live performances scheduled after March 25th.
“The King has suggested a number of people he would like to perform and Adele and Ed were on that list,” an organizer of the coronation event said.
“He was very keen that they were part of the concert… There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment. They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe. It’s such a shame.”
The performers of the coronation concert have not yet been confirmed, but OK! adds that Lionel Richie and the Spice Girls are the frontrunners to take the stage, while there are also rumors of a Harry Styles appearance.
If you — or King Charles — still need tickets to see Sheeran on his 2023 tour, head over to StubHub.