Princess Kate and Andrew Lloyd Webber open Liverpool’s Eurovision final by playing the piano
Eurovision viewers were surprised on Saturday when The Princess of Wales and Andrew Lloyd Webber both made cameos in the opening sequence of the final.
Kate, 41, paid a touching tribute to Ukraine as she played the piano in a stunning opening sequence for the grand final, held at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
She appeared virtually from Windsor Castle in a pre-recorded segment, with her appearance on the BBC show being kept a very closely guarded secret.
Kate looked stunning in a blue one-shoulder Jenny Packham dress — matching the Ukrainian flag — as she played the piano in the brief 10-second cameo.
Composer Andrew, 75, also made a surprise appearance in the opening scene as he also played the piano and smiled at the camera in another previously filmed clip.
Secret appearance: Eurovision viewers were surprised on Saturday when The Princess of Wales and Andrew Lloyd Webber both made cameos in the opening sequence of the final
They both showcased their talents as last year’s Ukrainian winners, the Kalush Orchestra, performed an incredible opening number, shown to an estimated global audience of 160 million.
And viewers were completely stunned by the double cameo appearance, with both Kate and Andrew being praised for their performance at the popular annual song contest.
One fan wrote on Twitter: “I didn’t have Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Princess of Wales on my #Eurovision cameo bingo card.”
Another commented, “Respect, Andrew Lloyd Webber,” while a third tweeted, “Always keep it classy, well done.”
And a fourth added: “Real surprise in the #Eurovision intro with Kate Middleton playing the piano.”
They weren’t the only stars to take part in the moving rendition of Stefania, last year’s winning song by the Kalush Orchestra, also featuring Joss Stone and Sam Ryder.
Liverpool are hosting the match on behalf of war-torn Ukraine, who won it last year, and fans in the UK have shown their support for both countries.
Hosts Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian rock star Julia Sanina welcomed thousands of fans to the Grand Final as it got underway.
In the grand final, the British entry Mae Muller finally takes the stage. After months of preparation, the North London star will finally perform her track I Wrote A Song to the international voting audience.
The 25-year-old singer hopes to continue the success of last year’s British entry Sam Ryder, who finished second behind Kalush Orchestra.
Wow! Kate, 41, paid a touching tribute to Ukraine as she played the piano in a stunning opening sequence for the grand final, held at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena
Surprise: She appeared virtually from Windsor Castle in a pre-recorded segment, with her appearance on the BBC show being kept a very closely guarded secret
It’s back! Hosts Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian rock star Julia Sanina welcomed thousands of fans to the Grand Final as it kicked off
Contestant: In the final, the British entry Mae Muller finally takes the stage. After months of preparation, the London star will finally perform her song I Wrote A Song for the voting public
But the British entrant will have to beat the odds if she hopes to take the win.
She is currently 10th favorite to win at odds of 40/1. Sweden is favourite, followed by Finland and Ukraine.
Mae said she was also moved to see “as many Ukrainian flags in the streets as British ones.”
“This is what Eurovision is about, it’s about people supporting each other,” she added.
Twenty-six acts will perform, as well as performances by the UK’s previous Eurovision winner, Katrina Leskanich from Katrina And The Waves.