As the world remembers Dolly Parton upon the news of her passing today, here at T&C, we’re recalling the moment she performed for Queen Elizabeth back in 1977 at the late monarch’s Silver Jubilee.
“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,” Parton said in a 2023 interview. “But when I actually got to meet her, she was very sweet.”
The country superstar added, “Even though you have to do the protocol, you have to bow and all that, I could tell that she didn’t care about that. That’s just something she had to do. And if somebody made a mistake, it was OK. 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.”
Parton performed for the Royal Variety Show in Glasgow, Scotland celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, alongside the Jackson 5, Scottish singer Sydney Devine, and English comedian Frankie Howerd. At the time, Parton called it “one of the biggest thrills of my life.”
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Queen Elizabeth during her Silver Jubilee celebrations.
When Queen Elizabeth died in 2022, Parton posted on Instagram, “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 years ago, Parton traveled to the UK to promote her new album, Rockstar. While there, she was invited to have tea with Kate Middleton. “I felt so bad… I couldn’t even go! They had all this stuff set up,” Parton said of the invite. “I thought it was very sweet and nice of her to invite me and one of these days I’m going to get to do that—that would be great.”
She joked that the Princess of Wales “wasn’t going to promote my rock album so I had to say no.”
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.