With the royal wedding fast approaching, we're hedging bets on which big-name performer will be providing the music on Harry and Meghan's big day.
Kensington Palace revealed who would be performing at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s church service some time ago (think orchestras, choirs and classically trained soloists), but when it comes to the wedding party, the royals have remained characteristically tight-lipped about who'll be performing at the evening event. But from Ed Sheeran to Spice Girls, it’s been celebrities themselves have kept the rumours swirling about who will be providing the royal wedding music over the last couple of months. And while the likes of Mel B has been dropping hints left, right and centre about a potential Spice Girls reunion in time for Harry and Meghan’s nuptials, artists such as Sam Smith, who has said he wouldn’t perform because the wedding falls on the same day as his birthday - 19 May - have categorically taking themselves out of the running. Here, we break down exactly who we think will be playing at the upcoming royal wedding reception.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason
The party performance still may be very much under wraps, but 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason is without doubt the most familiar name on the wedding service bill. The Nottingham-born teenager made history in 2016 as the first black winner of the BBC Young Musician Award and performed live in front of Prince Harry at an event in London last June in support of the Halo Foundation. He’s also the only musician to ever have been invited to perform at the Baftas twice. Sheku received a phone call from Meghan Markle herself, inviting him to play alongside the Choir Of St George's Chapel as well as gospel conductor Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir.
Elton John
He may have joked about how he was yet to receive an invite to Harry and Meghan’s wedding during a recent BBC Radio 2 interview, but Elton John cancelling his Las Vegas tour dates over 18 and 19 May due to a “scheduling conflict” seems like a pretty surefire sign that he’ll be there. And we think this evasiveness might be an attempt to keep a secret performance under wraps. Not only does he have a longstanding royal connection - as everyone over the age of 25 will know, John was a close friend of Princess Diana’s and famously performed "Candle In The Wind" at her funeral service. He also lives round the corner from St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. It just makes sense.
Adele
Let’s be honest, other than Elton John, Adele seems like the most obvious option here. Notoriously private with a thoroughly down-to-earth demeanour and jaw-dropping voice to boot, the British singer writes tearjerkers that sound as though they were made for first dances and has a catalogue that certainly won’t scare the queen.
Ed Sheeran
Former GQ cover star Ed Sheeran set the media mill into overdrive when he replied "Yeah, why not" to a journalist’s question about whether he would sing at the royal wedding. He’s since backtracked a bit, saying that he’s on tour in Ireland over the date, but the commemorative royal wedding plate that’s popped up on Etsy featuring Sheeran’s face instead of Harry’s might be a subtle sign…
Ellie Goulding
She might be Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend, but that hasn’t stopped Ellie Goulding from bagging an invite to the biggest wedding of the year. To be fair, a performance from Goulding also sounds weirder than it actually is. Yes, there was a rumoured, short-lived romance between her and Harry, but the pair have remained close friends since. Several of the Prince’s exes are reported to have received invitations as well as Goulding, including Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas. Plus, the 31-year-old sang at Kate Middleton and Prince William’s royal wedding reception back in 2012, so it’s fair to say that she’s got the experience as well as the access.
DJ Luck and MC Neat
Best for: Grown-up garage heads with early-noughties nostalgia
One for grooms who brought in the millennium listening to “With A Little Bit Of Luck”. Book the British garage duo for a festival-style set that’ll have all your friends reminiscing about when beers took precedence over babies. Your parents won’t be happy, but there’ll be kudos coming your way from guests who still regularly stay up until 6am. The BBC’s People Just Do Nothing has brought about a serious garage music revival over the past couple of years.