When Dolly Parton Shared Why She Ditched Having Tea With This Royal Family Member
Dolly Parton doesn't change her schedule even for the likes of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales. As the queen of country music, it should come as no shock that Parton gets opportunities to meet the royals. In a BBC Radio 2 interview, in August last year, Parton revealed that Middleton once invited her for tea. Unfortunately, she could not accept the offer because of her tight schedule.
As reported by HuffPost, Parton shared, “This time, lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate [Middleton]. And I felt so bad ― I couldn’t even go! They had all this stuff set up. But I thought it was very sweet and nice of her to invite me to tea. And one of these days I’m going to get to do that — that would be great." Parton jokingly added, “She wasn’t going to promote my rock album, so I had to say no.” According to People magazine, Parton even has an idea of what they would talk about— their mutual passion for helping children.
Parton added, "I think she’s adorable and I hope someday to be able to sit down and have a good conversation with her." The popular singer also revealed that she didn’t have enough time to explore London when she visited the place.
She stated, “I love the people, the feel of London. I don’t unfortunately [get time to sightsee]. I have in the past, me and my band, in a tour bus when we have it planned.” Parton's invitation for afternoon tea wasn’t her first. In 1977, she performed at the Silver Jubilee celebration for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
In an interview last year, Parton said, “I remember as a child being fascinated with the kings and queens and all their flamboyant clothes, people living in another world with riches and crowns and jewelry and all that. But when I actually got to meet her, she was very sweet.” She added, “I was scared to death that I was not going to know how to curtsy, that I wasn’t going to bend right, but she was just very warm, very sweet, and I could tell she was a very giving person. And just meeting the queen of England, just to meet a queen, it was amazing.” She shared that it was an 'honor' to perform for her hence.
When the queen passed away on September 8, 2022, Parton offered a personal tribute to Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Taking to her Instagram, she wrote, “I had the honor of meeting and performing for Queen Elizabeth II on my trip to London in 1977. She carried herself with grace and strength her entire life. May she Rest In Peace. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.” Three months earlier, the star had also publicly congratulated the queen on her historic Platinum Jubilee, as reported by Newsweek.
