Katy Perry's History With The Royal Family

Katy Perry didn't need a coronation to get a crown. In the ad for her Killer Queen fragrance, she skipped the screened ceremonial oil anointing, the presentation of the "Bracelets of Sincerity and Wisdom," and the rest of the ritualistic pomp reserved for the start of a British monarch's reign. Instead, she kicked a throne over and simply took a circlet and scepter.

While it's easy to imagine King Charles III clutching the pearls on his Imperial State Crown over such a display, apparently he wasn't concerned about Perry pilfering his own crown jewels; he did, after all, invite her to perform at his coronation. Perry had previously expressed admiration for Charles' late mother while discussing the Queen song that inspired the name of her perfume. "I also love the idea of a woman who reigns and has power, like Queen Elizabeth in the U.K.," she told Cosmopolitan (via NME) in 2013.

Perry is also a fan of William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales. When the couple wed in 2011, Perry tweeted a photo of her nail art inspired by their nuptials, revealing that she had photographs of the royals printed on every finger. Her monarchist manicure even included images of Princess Diana and Prince Harry. Months later, Perry took to Twitter again to invite Prince William and Kate Middleton to attend her concert in Ottawa. The couple didn't take her up on her offer, but she'd eventually cross paths with some members of the royal family.

Katy Perry's teenage dream might have been to become a princess. In a 2012 interview with Grazia (via the Mirror), she expressed an interest in moving to England because she's keen on starting her day with a slice of toast smothered with a heaping helping of baked beans. And in her Anglophile fantasy, her British brekkie would apparently be served at Kensington Palace. "Prince Harry is single and I love a hot ginger," the pop star said, essentially using the press to swipe right on the Duke of Sussex.

Two years prior, the Daily Star reported that Perry was dying to meet Harry, whom she supposedly referred to as "The Ginger Ninja." An insider said, "[She] thinks Harry sounds hilarious as he's got such a wild streak." The Daily Star later claimed that Harry saw its report and decided that getting Perry to perform at the queen's Platinum Jubilee would be the perfect way to woo her. "She is single and very sexy," another source said of what Harry found appealing about Perry. By this time, Perry and Russell Brand had divorced. Perry met Brand when she filmed an unused scene for his 2010 comedy "Get Him to the Greek," and get this: Brand told "Loose Women" that he also shot a kissing scene with an up-and-coming actor named Meghan Markle.

For the record, Perry revealed that she never got an invite to the queen's big shindig during an appearance on "The Graham Norton Show."

Remember when Pippa Middleton wore a figure-hugging white dress to her sister Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding and became a global sensation? For months afterward, we were treated to headlines like the Mirror gem "Wimbledon 2011: Pippa Middleton's famous bum spends most of day in Centre Court seat," and the Facebook community "Pippa Middleton A** Appreciation Society" still exists, as of this writing. Pippa was blamed for a rise in women requesting butt lifts from their plastic surgeons, and on the "Crazy About Pippa" TLC special, the owner of a spa in London suggested that Pippa had padded her world-famous fanny for the wedding.

"Saturday Night Live" offered its take on the obsession with Pippa's royal-adjacent rump by having Katy Perry play her. The pop star gave Pippa a strong cockney accent as she addressed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who was played by Fred Armisen, as a "geezer." During an argument about Kate (Abby Elliott), Perry-as-Pippa bragged, "Geezers line up to look at my a**." Armisen shot back, "Don't know why. Flat little bum, ain't it?" Bill Hader, who was playing Prince Philip, jumped in with another insult. "You've got a Dr. Who a**," he said. "It's pretty good — for England." Perry started cracking up when Armisen argued that his queenly posterior was superior, but she was still able to deliver her line that ended the derriere dispute: "It's not as good as Helen Mirren's though, is it?"

Katy Perry has worn outfits designed to look like a burger and a toilet paper roll, but one frock she wouldn't want to rock is Meghan Markle's Givenchy wedding dress. In particular, the pop star isn't a fan of the way the bateau-neck gown with a full skirt fit the Duchess of Sussex. "I would have done one more fitting," Perry told ET in 2018. "I'm never not going to tell the truth! One more fitting, but I love you." The singer then proceeded to really do Meghan dirty by taking a page from the British tabloid press' playbook: She pitted her against Kate Middleton. "Kate, Kate, Kate won, Kate won!" Perry said of the other royal bride's lace Alexander McQueen gown.

The "Hot N Cold" hitmaker did eventually retract her claws, lest everyone think that she'd been hitting the haterade too hard. "But it's amazing what [Meghan is] doing with all this, her humanitarian efforts," Perry stated. "You know, the fact that she's a proud feminist, I love all that." Her flattering words didn't forestall Meghan from taking offense at her sartorial slight, if the Daily Star is to be believed. In 2022, an insider told the outlet, "I would not expect to see Meghan and Katy carpooling to PTA meetings anytime in the future!" Oh, to be a fly on the wall when they both attended Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's vow renewal in 2023.

Katy Perry used to joke about marrying Prince Harry. While Meghan Markle and the royal were still dating, she took to her Instagram Story to suggest that she was about to be the Ursula in disguise to Meghan's Ariel. During a visit to Disneyland, she snapped a photo with Snow White and did her best impression of the sweet and innocent fairytale character. "Coming for that spot with my princess poses @meghanmarkle," Perry captioned the pic.

Perry didn't take Meghan's place, but she did find her Prince Charming in "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Orlando Bloom, who popped the question on Valentine's Day in 2019. The actor presented Perry with an engagement ring that featured a huge, unidentified pink stone surrounded by diamonds. While its floral shape was possibly inspired by Bloom's last name, Harper's Bazaar noted that its cluster setting was similar to that of Princess Diana's famous sapphire engagement ring, which is now in Kate Middleton's possession. "Lady Di really brought them back into fashion when Charles gave her one," said jeweler Stephen Feuerman. 

Perry once told Elle that she considered Princess Diana an inspiration, saying, "She was amazing." So, we're guessing she was pleased with her engagement ring garnering comparisons to that of the late royal. Its potential price tag was also fit for a princess; one expert told E! that it could be worth as much as $5 million.

The HBO Max animated series "The Prince" angered some viewers because it satirized William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales' young children. In the eyes of many, the underage kids of celebs should be considered off-limits when it comes to off-color comedy, and as noted by The Washington Post, "The Prince" portrayed Prince William and Kate Middleton's oldest child, Prince George, as bratty, entitled — and more than happy to dish the dirt on his dysfunctional family.

Katy Perry's fiancé, Orlando Bloom, joined the show's voice cast as the royal whom Perry once begged to call her during an appearance on "The Graham Norton Show." And according to Bloom, it was Perry who pushed him to voice the fictionalized version of Prince Harry. "Katy was like, 'You've got to do this. This is genius,'" Bloom told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020. He said that he also found the show's material amusing enough that a desire to be a part of the project won out over his British pride.

When Bloom signed on for the series, Harry was a stranger to him. "I subsequently met him and he's such a nice guy and he's got a great sense of humor," the actor stated. "I hope he maintains his sense of humor through this." At least the amount of jokes that Bloom's new royal acquaintance might find offensive was limited, as the show was canceled after one season.

In 2019, Prince William, Katy Perry, and a group of other celebrities recorded a special minute-long message for Mental Health Awareness Week that was broadcast on radio stations across the U.K. It was an entreaty for listeners to check in with their loved ones and to be good listeners when they talk about their mental health struggles. "While we are listening, we're not really listening," Perry said. The other stars who stressed the importance of being attentive during conversations about mental health included singer Alesha Dixon and actors Jameela Jamil and Stephen Fry. At the time, William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle were promoting Shout, a text message service for those in need of someone to talk to during a mental health crisis.

Perry has been an open book when it comes to her mental health struggles, even filming a therapy session with therapist Siri Sat Nam Singh for Viceland's "The Therapist" in 2017. She spoke about having suicidal thoughts, saying, "It's hard because I'm ashamed. Because, of course, Katy Perry's so strong ... I feel ashamed that I would even have those thoughts." Harry similarly live-streamed an interview with therapist Dr. Gabor Maté, while Meghan has also opened up about experiencing suicidal ideation. In her interview with Oprah Winfrey, she revealed that her thoughts were similar to Perry's. "I was ashamed. I was supposed to be stronger than that," she recalled thinking (via TheWrap).

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

When Katy Perry spoke to InStyle in 2013, she was asked where she would like to settle down someday. "I would love to buy my dream castle in my hometown of Santa Barbara," she said. This dream came true in 2020 when she and Orlando Bloom purchased a $14.2-million home in Montecito, a community located in Santa Barbara. This made them neighbors with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In fact, Harry revealed that Bloom had become an ally in his effort to avoid being photographed by the paparazzi.

In a 2021 "Armchair Expert" podcast interview, Harry recalled how Bloom had once warned him that there were photographers in the area. "He sent me a photograph which his security got of this long-haired guy with a beanie on, with his AirPods in, with his massive camera lying in the back of his 4x4 truck, blacked out windows," he shared. "A woman driving ... did a peace sign as a distraction." Harry revealed that the paparazzo was trying to get a shot of Perry and Bloom's daughter, Daisy Dove, and was incredulous that the photogs are allowed to behave this way.

A year prior, Bloom had told The Hollywood Reporter that he would probably have to have a conversation with Harry about how he was lampooning him on the animated series "The Prince" the next time they crossed paths. Since the two were on speaking terms, apparently Harry was cool with it.

In November 2019, Katy Perry was photographed meeting with King Charles III while he was touring India. The pop star and the then-Prince discussed Charles' charity, the British Asian Trust, which he created to help the impoverished and disadvantaged in South Asia. The following year, Charles named Perry an ambassador of the charity's Children's Protection Fund for India. During the reception announcing Perry's new role, she referenced a conversation she and Charles had about his fondness for gardening. "Sometimes he talks to his plants. And he asked me if I would sing to his plants," she said, per People. "And I will in the future. You have my word, sir."

Perry's ambassadorship confused and upset some people, who noted that she is not from either demographic in the nonprofit's name. "As she is neither British nor Asian, would it be fair to describe her as a Dark Horse for this position?" one person tweeted. In the past, Charles had chosen an ambassador from his own country who does have South Asian roots, former One Direction member Zayn Malik. 

Some social media users also brought up Perry's history of cultural appropriation. In 2017, for example, she angered some of her Instagram followers by using a painting of the Hindu goddess Kali Ra as a visual representation of her "current mood." Years later, she still had fans begging her to delete the post and accusing her of disrespecting Hinduism.

By 2023, Katy Perry and King Charles III were chummy enough that she made the list of the performers he wanted to be entertained by at his coronation concert. Some singers didn't exactly seem eager to be a part of the festivities, with the Daily Mail reporting that Adele and Elton John had turned down invites. The latter had an excuse, as he was on tour, but sources claimed that Aussie singer Kylie Minogue declined to perform at the event because of the political climate in her home country, which was becoming increasingly pro-republic. (A rep for Minogue denied this.) However, Charles had a big selling point to entice Perry with: her accommodations would be Windsor Castle. "I'm really excited," Perry told Extra. "I might be posting a lot because I'm gonna be in a castle, for real. This is wild." She was also impressed by the appearance of her coronation invitation. "It was very regal. It was like a cursive I have never seen," she said.

Perry's fellow "American Idol" judge, Lionel Richie, also made the roster of performers. While they were away in the U.K., British singer Ed Sheeran and Canadian entertainer Alanis Morissette filled in for them on the reality competition. There were rumors that Sheeran was among the singers who declined an invitation to perform at the coronation concert, but on "The Morning Mash Up," he revealed that he was never asked to do so.

The day before Katy Perry performed at the concert celebrating King Charles III's ascension to the throne, she attended the coronation ceremony itself. A video of the singer wandering around inside Westminster Abbey as she desperately searched for her seat went viral on Twitter – and a meme was born. "This is me looking for my car in the parking lot after [having] gone shopping for too long," quipped one Twitter user. "Katy searching for the throne where she'll be crowned," another fan wrote. The singer evidently realized that her difficulty finding her assigned spot was attracting attention, because she later tweeted, "Don't worry guys I found my seat."

Unfortunately for Perry, she almost found herself seated on the rain-soaked pavement in another viral coronation moment; she was photographed stumbling outside Westminster Abbey. Luckily, she didn't end up with a wet spot on the rear of her lilac pencil skirt, which she paired with a matching short-sleeved jacket, frothy top, and opera gloves. Tilted atop her head was a disc-shaped fascinator, which she was having some trouble seeing around while looking for her seat.

Her ensemble was designed by Vivienne Westwood. Some Twitter users observed that it was similar to an outfit Princess Diana wore in 1997 during a trip to Washington. Perry also had on pearl earrings and a choker with three strands of pearls, which bore a striking resemblance to some of the jewelry in the late Lady Di's collection.

Katy Perry made a regal entrance when she waltzed onto the stage at Windsor during King Charles III's coronation concert. In the sky, drones formed the shape of a lion's head as she started to sing her hit song "Roar," and the stage lights reflected off of her dazzling gold gown. The Vivienne Westwood dress was constructed out of "metallic leatherette," per Vogue, but some Twitter users thought that it resembled a Quality Street candy wrapper. Princess Charlotte was filmed adorably singing along with Perry from her front-row seat.

Charlotte and other audience members were waving tiny British flags, but Perry's performance included a nod to her American heritage that amused some viewers. Before performing "Firework," she dedicated the song to King Charles III. However, it includes a lyric that references the day the United States celebrates its independence from the British monarchy: "Just own the night / Like the Fourth of July." One Twitter user's take on the moment read, "A comedian couldn't have written this."

Of course, the U.K. and the U.S.A. have long moved past their ugly divorce. As a sign of goodwill, Charles and Queen Camilla even surprised viewers across the pond by making a virtual appearance on "American Idol" alongside Perry and Lionel Richie. That's right — one of Charles' first post-coronation appearances was on an American television series. So maybe Perry's friendship with the king will slowly bring about the monarchy's downfall?