This feels like the kind of unlikely friendship you see in sitcoms from the ‘70s and ‘80s. What do they do when they hang out? Has Lionel secretly tried on the crown? Does Charles have a “drunk white guy at karaoke” version of “Brick House?” Now if that happens at the coronation, I may wake up early and watch. The singer/songwriter isn’t revealing what he’ll perform at the concert, but I’m guessing we’ll hear all the hits, including “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Easy” and “All Night Long.”

Image for article titled Who Knew? King Charles III and Lionel Richie have Been Buddies for Years
Photo: Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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“I want to see the pomp and circumstance because I don’t care what you thought Michael Jackson did. I don’t care what you thought Prince did. I don’t care what you thought Madonna did. Nothing’s going to be like this,” he said. “This is the grandiose of grandiose right here.”

Richie will be joined at the coronation concert by his fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry; opera star Andrea Bocelli; and popular British group Take That. If that lineup feels a little old, it’s because current artists like Adele, Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles all reportedly turned down invitations to perform. Apparently, even Elton John said no, and I can’t remember the last time he declined a royal invitation.

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If you’re interested in what all that pomp and circumstance looks like, The Coronation of King Charles III airs on most major networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN on Saturday, May 6 at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT.