The singer Lionel Richie exchanged jokes with the King, his “wise friend”, at a star-studded gala in New York City.
The Alabama-born singer, who was joined at the event by celebrities including Donatella Versace, Anna Wintour and Stella McCartney, said that he and the monarch shared “the same heart” despite their different backgrounds.
The King and Queen hosted the King’s Trust event on Wednesday evening at the end of their visit to the city, as part of their US state visit. The gala was to celebrate the “enduring bond” between the UK and US, by showcasing Britain’s cultural impact on New York.
Charles, having made two speeches on Tuesday, appeared to ask Richie for tips on protecting his vocal cords, wondering aloud whether the 76-year-old “gargle[s] with port or something”.
Joined by the Queen, who wore a green chiffon leopard-print dress, he quipped: “I hesitate to make yet another speech.”
Richie, a King’s Trust global ambassador, introduced Charles to the stage, saying: “I can assure everyone I’m not singing tonight. This is an honour. What an honour … I actually feel I know this gentleman from the heart.”
Richie reserved special praise for the King’s address on Capitol Hill, and said: “I thought it was brilliant and how he threaded the needle … so brilliant, but [it] brought us back into humanity as only he can do. A friend, giving advice as to what we should be doing, a wise friend.
“When I met him we didn’t have too much in common in terms of the way we grew up and then we started talking and we realised we’re from the same place. We have the same heart.”
Charles, 77, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in 2024, joked “as we look to the future, I won’t see the long-distance future”, as he urged those in the room to “champion the next generation”.
Praising the “enduring bond” between the UK and US, the King added: “It’s a wonderful and proud but extraordinary moment to think it’s 50 years since I started this trust. Quite difficult to get it off the ground but we did.”
The Queen earlier met Sarah Jessica Parker, the star of Sex and the City, at an event celebrating literature at the New York Public Library. The actress said that Camilla’s visit was “great for all New Yorkers”.
