Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins has revealed how Queen Elizabeth II once saved her from a disastrous dinner 'faux pas' at an intimate lunch at Buckingham Palace. The 42-year-old discussed the incident on This Morning with Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, following a discussion about how she was asked to sing the first official rendition of the new national anthem.
Appearing on the ITV show on Thursday, September 15, Phillip said to Katherine: "[The Queen] did help you didn't she? She helped you with a potential dinner faux pas?" to which she replied: "Yes. When I was in my mid-20s I got invited to a small lunch at Buckingham Palace. They brought round a course that I didn't really understand, with a water bowl and a piece of fruit and I was thinking, "Oh no this is a disaster!"
Making Phillip and Holly chuckle, the singer continued: I took a piece of fruit and held it in my hand. Her Majesty sensed that and in a maternal way, she was sort of like, "Follow me." You had to take the fruit and wash it in the water bowl and dry it with the gauze."
Neath-born Katherine had performed for the Royal Family on numerous occasions, including the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year. Wearing a stunning blue ballgown, she performed an emotional rendition of Rule Britannia! with the Academy Voices Welsh Choir, in what would turn out to be the last time she ever sang for Elizabeth II. During her This Morning interview, she revealed that the late monarch drove past her at the event and she curtseyed. The Queen then proceeded to roll the window down and shouted, 'Oh Katherine!' - which the singer was chuffed about.
Following the death of Her Majesty, Katherine was chosen to sing the first recording of God Save The King. Whilst filming Songs of Praise, she was asked by the BBC if she would be willing to sing the new anthem to play on Radio 4 a few hours later.
Talking to Phillip and Holly about being asked, Katherine said: "I got a call from the BBC and they said we'd like to play the first version of God Save The King. There were a few of us we took a few minutes' silence and reflection and said a little prayer for The Queen before we recorded it. It was emotional. But we have to think of the future."
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