On Sunday (May 7), American Idol kicked off with some special surprises for fans. That’s right, even before the Top 5 was revealed, the show received a message from England’s new King and Queen.
And if that wasn’t enough, star songwriter (and guest judge for a week) Alanis Morissette offered a performance of her hit, “Thank U.”
Videos by American Songwriter
Idol judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were invited to the United Kingdom for the coronation of King Charles III at Windsor Castle. There, they performed at the coronation concert with other artists, including Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, Steve Winwood, DJ Pete Tong, Nicole Scherzinger, and Take That’s three original members, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen.
As such, Richie and Perry were absent from the Idol set. In their place, Ed Sheeran and Morissette joined judge Luke Bryan. King Charles III and Queen Camilla shared a video message for Idol and its viewers.
“I have a surprise,” said Richie, as he then brought in King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla.
“I just wanted to check how long you’ll be using this room for?” joked Charles III. Then he thanked Perry and Richie for their dynamic performances earlier in the day at his coronation.
Check out the entire exchange below.
When the show got underway in earnest, guest judge for the week, Morissette, wearing a black fringe jacket, performed her hit song “Thank U.” Morissette’s rather recognizable voice cut through the bright music and it was easy to remember how much of a star she is. The performance of “Thank U” was a great way to commence a unique show.
Check out Morisette’s performance below.
Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless
More Latest Music News & Stories
-

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: (L-R) Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado of Foreigner perform onstage during The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on September 29, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown raised millions of dollars to support the pioneering work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and the world’s premier research center targeting spinal cord and brain injury and other neurological disorders and diseases. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis)







