Star-studded Coronation Concert takes place at Windsor Castle

Revellers started queueing eight hours before the show started to get good seats

Guests started to gather at Windsor Castle eight hours before the Coronation Concert began. PA

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Thousands of royal fans have packed into the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch a star-studded line-up of artists perform at a concert to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation.

Household names appearing on the stage include Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Olly Murs, Take That, Nicole Scherzinger and Italian opera legend Andrea Bocelli.

The 20,000-strong audience will also be entertained by a choir of nurses, doctors and other workers in the UK’s National Health Service, the Royal Ballet, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera among others.

Ticket-holders, who started queueing at noon on the Long Walk will also watch pre-recorded video sketches from actors Tom Cruise and Dame Joan Collins, adventurer Bear Grylls.

Singer Tom Jones will use his message to reveal little-known facts about King Charles.

The show, which started at 8pm on Sunday, comes on the second day of coronation celebrations across the UK and the Commonwealth.

It is hosted by actor Hugh Bonneville, 59, best known for his role in Downton Abbey and the Paddington films. He said he was delighted to be announcing the acts.

"In true British style, come rain or shine it will be a night to remember,” Bonneville said.

His central role in the concert at the king's castle is seen as a nod to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who collaborated with Paddington Bear for a sketch to mark her platinum jubilee last summer.

DJ Pete Tong said King Charles specifically requested Ibiza classic songs as part of his coronation concert.

The BBC Radio 1 DJ, who has been given the task of delivering the king’s wish at the event, said he hoped it would be a brilliant way to start the show.

Sarah Edwards and her daughter Charlotte travelled from Suffolk to the royal town to attend the concert.

“We watched all the coronation on TV yesterday," Sarah said. “It made us really excited to be here today. I think it’s a big part of history for my daughter to be a part of.

“I’m really excited to be part of such a big day.”

Faatimah and Hafsah Malik had a much shorter journey as they live in nearby Slough.

The pair were excited to watch Katy Perry and were hoping to catch a glimpse of King Charles.

“I would like to meet them," Hafsah said. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was really shocking to win the tickets.

“I love Kate. She has a really beautiful style. It’s very simple but elegant.”

Many royal fans had failed to get tickets to the sold-out event and instead opted to attend a free party on the lawn in front of the castle on Sunday afternoon.

The Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance at the gathering and chatted to revellers and performers.

Kate told The National that their three children were in good spirits after being in the spotlight at the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

Asked how Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were feeling after the big day, Kate told of their joy at participating in the ceremony.

“They’re good, thank you very much,” she told The National. “They enjoyed yesterday.”

While Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Louis sat with their parents in the abbey, George, nine, was seated separately as he acted as one of four Pages of Honour to the king.

Steven and Christine Birch basked in the afternoon sun on the Long Walk on Sunday afternoon, soaking up the celebratory atmosphere.

The couple travelled to London and Windsor for the coronation but sadly missed out on tickets to the concert. Instead, they attended the free picnic.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us," Mrs Birch told The National. "It's a piece of history. We come down for all the royal events. We loved watching the coronation yesterday."

Shakeela Ahmed and her niece Farah Mukhtar were also among the royal admirers who missed out on the concert.

Yet the women, originally from Pakistan, decided to go all-out for the royal occasion and donned Union Jack hijabs for the Big Lunch picnic.

Speaking to The National in the shadow of the castle, the two reminisced about being in the same spot in May 2018 to celebrate the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan.

"We were fasting for Ramadan but we still came to the celebrations," Shakeela said. "It was an amazing day.

"We even made it into Harry and Meghan's wedding book. There was a picture of us wearing Union Jack hijabs. It was seen as a symbol of multicultural Britain."