TL;DR:
- Prince William gave a speech at the May 7 coronation concert.
- In it, he paid tribute to King Charles III, also mentioning the “simple message of service” and Queen Elizabeth II.
- Prince William closed his remarks with, “God Save the King!”
In between a star-studded line-up at the coronation concert, the audience heard from Prince William. He took the stage at Windsor Castle to pay tribute to his father, the newly crowned King Charles III. Along the way, the Prince of Wales made a number of memorable quotes about everything from what might’ve been a dig toward Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to a sweet mention of Queen Elizabeth II.
1. William started his coronation concert speech with a joke about Lionel Richie
Upon taking the stage, William began with a lighter yet memorable quote in his coronation concert speech. “I want to say a few words about my father and why I believe this weekend is so important,” William said.
Meanwhile, his wife, Kate Middleton, and their two oldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, sat in the audience along with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Making a nod to Lionel Richie, who had taken the stage before him, William joked: “But don’t worry, unlike Lionel, I won’t go on all night long,” referencing the American Idol judge’s hit, “All Night Long.”
2.Prince William coronation speech quotes: Queen Elizabeth ‘would be a very proud mother’
William, who is first in the royal family’s line of succession, then switched gears. Transitioning from light-hearted to heartfelt, he mentioned his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth, who died in September 2022.
“As my grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future,” William said, referring to the queen’s 1953 coronation at Westminster Abbey.
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William didn’t stop there. He continued on a more personal note, saying: “And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a very proud mother.”
3. William discussed the ‘simple message’ of ‘service’ in his coronation concert speech
Then came what some have called a dig at his brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. William discussed the “simple message” of “service” surrounding the coronation.
“For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message: Service,” he said. “My father’s first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service. It was a pledge to continue to serve.”
“Because for over 50 years, in every corner of the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world,” William continued, “he has dedicated himself to serve others, both current and future generations, and those whose memory must not be neglected.”
“It is not possible to continue with responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service,” Buckingham Palace said in a February 2021 statement after Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working royals in 2020.
The couple responded with a statement of their own in which they remarked: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
William closed his speech with a few remarks on his “Pa,” the king. “Pa, we are all so proud of you,” he said. “Your service inspires us all, and tonight we celebrate you too.”
Finally, William’s coronation concert speech ended with one final — and memorable — line: “God save the King!”
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