Dolly Parton Just Rejected Kate Middleton’s Invitation for Tea: ‘I Had to Say No’
Dolly Parton and Kate Middleton might be two of the most well-known celebrities out there today, though they’re famous for very different reasons. Dolly is a musical icon in the United States (and globally), while Kate became ultra-famous when she married Prince William, the heir to the British throne. But does that mean these two ladies can’t spend time together? Well, not to Kate, who recently invited Dolly to come over for tea. Though Dolly was flattered, she wasn’t able to attend but said she hopes to meet with Kate another time.
Dolly Parton just turned down Kate Middleton’s invitation for tea
Most people would jump at the chance to have tea with the British royal family, but evidently, Dolly had other plans. However, the singer was still thankful for Kate’s invitation and said she wanted to have tea with the princess at some point. Long story short, Dolly was in London touring, and Kate asked her to come over, but Dolly politely declined. While speaking with BBC radio (per Daily Mail), Dolly said, “This time, Lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate but I couldn’t even go.”
“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,” Dolly said of the invitation. Dolly never actually gave a reason for declining the invite, though it likely just had to do with her busy tour schedule. Still, the singer joked about why she passed on the invite. “But she wasn’t going to promote my rock album so I had to say no,” she said. Despite not getting to sit down the a royal, Dolly still enjoyed her time in London and even told BBC that she didn’t get a ton of free time to explore the city but wished she had. “I love the people, the feel of London,” she said. I don’t unfortunately [get time to sightsee]. I have in the past, me and my band, in a tour bus when we have it planned.”
Dolly Parton once met Queen Elizabeth and called it the ‘biggest thrill’ of her life
Dolly certainly has a lot of love for the royal family, so there are likely no hard feelings between her and Kate. The singer once met Queen Elizabeth and referred to the moment as the “biggest thrill” of her life. During a trip to London in 1977, Dolly had the chance to not only meet the queen but also perform for her. “When they told me on the plane I was appearing in front of the queen, I just jumped up and down telling everyone. It’s just one of the biggest thrills of my life,” Dolly said of the experience, per Daily Mail.
When the queen died, Dolly paid tribute to her on Instagram. “[Queen Elizabeth II] carried herself with grace and strength her entire life,” part of Dolly’s tribute read. “May she Rest in Peace.”
