Comedian Lee Mack made a joke about partygate as he addressed an audience including the Prime Minister at Platinum Party at the Palace. Speaking in front of Boris Johnson, who was in the royal box outside the gates of Buckingham Palace, he said: “Finally we can say the words ‘party’ and ‘gate’ and it’s a positive.”
The gag referencing the gatherings at Downing Street during lockdown drew cheers and laughs from the crowd. Mack then quipped: "It wasn't in the autocue, admittedly". He swiftly moved on with words of appreciation for the opening performance by Queen + Adam Lambert.
Mack then replicated former Queen frontman Freddie Mercury’s “Ay-Oh” chant with the crowd, prompting laughs from the Duke of Cambridge and his children.
Queen + Adam Lambert were the first act appearing in the star-studded line-up. Princess Charlotte and her mother the Duchess of Cambridge were seen clapping along to their performance, including Queen hits We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions.
They were followed by performances from Jax Jones with Mabel and John Newman, Elbow and Diversity. The dance troupe's act celebrated the very best of British pop music - including the Spice Girls and One Direction.
Mack’s partygate joke came a day after Mr Johnson was booed by some sections of a crowd gathered outside St Paul’s Cathedral. The Prime Minister, following his arrival alongside his wife at a National Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen on Friday, was jeered by some people gathered outside the church.
