“You Can Be My Wingman Anytime”: Tom Cruise Joins Star-Studded Coronation Concert to Celebrate King Charles III

THR Staff
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It was the U.K.’s first coronation in 70 years — a cause even Hugh Jackman, Tom Cruise and Pierce Brosnan had to celebrate.

A star-studded lineup for King Charles III’s Coronation Concert took to an enormous stage on Windsor Castle grounds, the historic building a shimmering backdrop for a crowd of 20,000 on Sunday night.

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The polished gardens — tidy from the monarch’s “7 a.m. weeding,” joked Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, who served as host for the event — were a sea of red, white and royal blue as fans across the country gathered to toast to the king and queen.

In and among performances from Katy Perry, Nicole Scherzinger and Lionel Richie (the latter managing to tempt the king out of his seat for some bobbing to All Night Long) were video messages of congratulations and “Did you know?” facts about Charles from Hollywood royalty.

“Pilot-to-pilot, Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time,” Cruise said, filmed doing what he does best — aviators on and in the cockpit of a fighter pilot jet in a sequence that was perfectly Maverick-esque.

And Cruise wasn’t the only action star to feature at the historic event. Ex-Bond Brosnan appeared, albeit also virtually, to talk about Charles’ history as a fully trained Royal Air Force pilot. Jackman waved hello, too. “Your Majesty, a little birdie told me that you’re quite the thespian,” he said after Dame Joan Collins told audiences about the king’s acting chops.

A myriad of famous names popped on stage to add to the already impressive concert bill: Nigerian singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage and Olly Murs sang after a crowd-pleasing Muppet moment where Miss Piggy seemed unable to separate Lord Grantham from the host in front of her, and insisted on staying near.

Sex Education star and incoming Doctor Who Time Lord Ncuti Gatwa acted out excerpts from Romeo & Juliet alongside Call the Midwife’s Mei Mac, and hundreds of voices from across the Commonwealth sang as part of a choir for the king, who watched from the royal box with Queen Camilla, the Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

The young royals watched as their father made an emotional tribute to Charles’ work.

“Don’t worry. Unlike Lionel, I won’t go on all night long,” William began. “As my grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration for our hopes for the future. And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us, and she’d be a very proud mother.”

“Pa, we are all so proud of you,” he added.

World-famous opera singer Andrea Bocelli teamed up with Sir Bryn Terfel, a Welsh opera star, before Paloma Faith joined in on the fun. Stella McCartney made a short statement commemorating King Charles III on his conservation efforts and decades-long environmental campaigning. “He champions hope and action,” the designer said.

The concert was rounded off with a rendition of hits “Roar” and “Firework” by Perry, who herself looked every bit the gilded display of a coronation in shining gold. U.K. veteran boyband Take That closed the show and thanked the king and queen, who in response waved their union jack flags from the royal box.

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