LONDON (AP) — Some of the world’s biggest pop stars will perform in front of Buckingham Palace on June 4 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, palace officials said Tuesday.
The lineup will include former Beatle Paul McCartney, singers Elton John and Shirley Bassey and popular boy band JLS. Longtime favorites Cliff Richard and Tom Jones will also perform.
Concert organizers said that many more stars, including some from America and Australia, will also be on the bill, with details to be released in the coming months.
“It’s going to be fun,” Elton John said in a video shown to reporters at Buckingham Palace.
The event is a centerpiece in the queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, which have already kicked off to mark her 60 years on the throne.
It follows a raucous Golden Jubilee concert in 2002 that featured a rendition of “God Save the Queen” by Queen guitarist Brian May performed in the open air on the palace roof.
Take That star Gary Barlow, charged with organizing the gala event, said he hopes as many as half a million people are able to see the concert from the public areas in front of the palace. It will also be broadcast on television and radio.
“The whole world will be watching,” he said, while acknowledging it may be hard to top May’s performance at the 2002 gala.
“We all remember that and we will try to come up with something newer and better,” he said.
Some 10,000 tickets will be awarded by lottery. Tickets will also include entry into the palace garden for a jubilee picnic, with food provided by the palace.
The queen and husband Prince Philip plan to attend along with other senior members of the royal family.
Barlow said that the queen’s grandsons Prince Harry and Prince William had suggested some performers who may be added to the list. Officials said the queen is “content” with the musical program.
He said the goal is the have music from all the decades of the queen’s reign incorporated into the program.