Grace Jones glued herself to William and did Cheryl and Harry swap numbers? What REALLY happened behind the scenes at the Jubilee Concert after-party
- Young royals host post Diamond Jubilee Concert celebration at the palace
- Cheryl Cole, Will.i.am and Grace Jones among stars to attend
- 'The atmosphere was really lively and relaxed,’ says one reveller
- Many still partying at 1.30am
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It was the night that mini burgers and fruitcake were served up at Buckingham Palace and Cheryl Cole made a beeline for her ‘dream date’ Prince Harry.
That ‘barmy’ Grace Jones clung to Prince William’s side like a strip of Velcro – leaving the future king shaken and very stirred – and there was only one question on the lips of the royal party: how on earth do you address Black Eyed Pea’s Will.i.am?
Admittedly, it wasn’t the most raucous after-show party – by rock and roll standards at least – but where else in the world would you get pop royalty sharing a glass of elderflower cordial (yes, really) with the real thing?
The morning after the night before: Prince Harry, Kate and William looked a little bleary eyed at the Jubilee Thanksgiving service
Monday night’s post Diamond Jubilee Concert reception was thrown by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince Harry, in the Bow Room and Long Gallery.
The heavily gilded Bow Room is familiar to the many thousands of guests to Royal Garden Parties who pass through it on their way to the garden.
It was originally intended as a part of George IV's private apartments - to be the King's Library - but it was never fitted up as such.
Instead, it has become a room for entertaining and is where The Queen holds the arrival lunch for a visiting Head of State at the start of a State visit.
Star line-up: Black Eyed Pea’s Will.i.am, Grace Jones and Cheryl Cole attended the after-party
It leads off the Long Gallery, a blood-red hallway stretching the width of the palace which is the first sight many get of the interior of the Queen’s official residence.
Although the event was ostensibly for the younger royals – led by William Kate and Harry along with their cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – some of the ‘oldies’ also popped in, including the Duke of York and Prince Edward and his wife, the Countess of Wessex.
According to several of those present, the party was very much ‘in the palace mould’ – no seating or music and relatively formal.
‘But given the huge range of celebrities who were there and the fact that they could let their hair down without having to worry about a photographer jumping out from the nearest antique, the atmosphere was really lively and relaxed,’ said one.
Will.I.Am Tweets a picture with Prince William at the Jubilee party
Butlers dressed red and black livery served champagne ‘like it was water’ as well as soft drinks including elderflower cordial for those who chose not to partake.
Canapés including fish cakes, smoked salmon blinis, mini hamburgers and small bowls of pasta and risotto, made by the Buckingham Palace kitchen under head chef Mark Flanagan, were also handed round, also including, oddly, tiny slivers of fruit cake.
Every star who performed at the concert was present including four knights – Sir Tom Jones, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Paul McCartney (accompanied by his daughters Mary and Stella) and Sir Elton John – as well as Dame Shirley Bassey.
Hearthrobs JLS rubbed shoulders with classical pianist Lang Lang while The Voice judge Will.i.am (who is apparently tiny in real life) apparently made it his mission to meet as many members of British royalty as he could.
The singer Tweeted obsessively throughout the night – even posting a picture of himself and Prince William, who was clutching a glass of champagne, at the party with the message: ‘Just realized I am the shorter Will.i.am.’
He also posted several pictures of himself posing with guardsmen at the palace gates accompanied by the message #iambritish.
‘No-one actually knew what to call him, though, it was hilarious. Did you address him as Will.i.am, William or Mr .i.am?’ joked one guest.
Prince William was also a focus of attention for eccentric signer Grace Jones, who had earlier performed her entire song, Slave To The Rhythm, circling a hula-hoop around her waist.
A source said : ‘She just wouldn’t leave his side and kept introducing him to all the celebs, saying ‘have you met Prince William? Have you met William?’ It was getting a bit embarrassing and the prince actually looked rather uncomfortable.’
Other guests, however, described Miss Jones, who was accompanied by her elderly mother, as ‘fantastic’. ‘She was still wearing her hat and towered over everyone in the room. She was hugely eccentric and hugely entertaining. Just fantastic,’ said one.
Singletons Cheryl Cole and Prince Harry were also believed to have chatted at length – an interesting pairing as Harry recently admitted he ‘fancied’ the Girls Aloud star while Cheryl told an interviewer: 'I love Prince Harry. Actually, I had a dream last night I married Prince Harry and was a real-life princess. It's true. And Charles was my father-in-law.’
According to guests singer Stevie Wonder was 'the life and soul of the party'
Aides discreetly declined to reveal how long they chatted for, however. The star of the night was, however, singer Stevie Wonder, who was ‘the life and soul of the party’. ‘Everyone wanted to meet him and he wanted to meet everyone!’ said a fellow guest.
He was also (as was the ever-present Will.i.am) particularly excited about meeting the Queen earlier – indeed according to the concert organiser, Take That’s Gary Barlow, most of the US stars virtually had it written into their performance contracts that they would get to meet the monarch.
Sources said that Kate left the festivities a little earlier than the rest of the royals, who were still partying hard at 1.30am.
The party finally wrapped up well into the early hours – which may account for the bags some of the young royals had under their eyes at St Paul’s a few hours later.
‘It was a great night – I think because of where they were, all the stars were very relaxed. It was a fabulous end to a remarkable night,’ said one equally baggy-eyed reveller.
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