Elton John ‘forced to decline invite to Princess Diana memorial at Kensington Palace as he’s taking things slow following hip surgery’
Sir Elton John is having to skip a reception to celebrate his late friend, Princess Diana, on October 19 as he’s recovering from hip replacement surgery.
The music legend, 74, was on the guestlist for the bash at Kensington Palace next Tuesday but is no longer able to attend as he’s healing from the operation.
A source told The Sun: ‘Elton underwent hip replacement surgery at the start of the month. It went well and he is on the mend but is taking things slow.’
Surgery: Sir Elton John, 74, is having to skip a reception to celebrate his late friend, Princess Diana, on October 19 as he’s recovering from hip replacement surgery
They added: ‘He will be back on TV next week with an appearance on The Graham Norton Show to promote his new album The Lockdown Sessions but it was pre-recorded before the op.’
It was also recently confirmed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not fly back to London for the reception.
A spokesperson told The Telegraph at the weekend that the royal couple – who live in Santa Barbara, California – won’t be in attendance.
The celebration was originally planned to take place in July after the Diana statue was unveiled at the Sunken Garden of the palace to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s tragic passing and what would have been her 60th birthday.
No show: The music legend was on the guestlist for the bash at Kensington Palace but is no longer able to attend as he’s recovering from the operation (pictured together in 1993)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the statue unveiling was massively scaled back.
However, Prince Harry, 37, reunited with his brother Prince William, 39, for the special moment, while Meghan, 40, stayed at home in the US, as she had not long given birth to their daughter Lilibet.
Around 100 other close friends and family of Diana are also expected to attend the delayed party.
Staying in the US: It was also recently confirmed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not fly back to London for the reception
July: Prince Harry and Prince William unveiled the Diana statue at the palace’s Sunken Garden to mark the 20th anniversary of her passing on what would have been her 60th birthday
Her sons – whom she had with ex-husband Prince Charles – commissioned sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley to create the touching tribute to their mother, who died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997, aged 36.
The brothers hope the statue is seen as a lasting symbol of the ‘life and legacy’ of The Princess of Wales.
Elton is thought to have had the operation in the last couple of days. He has been ‘soldiering on for a long time’ ahead of his hip operation after he fell ‘awkwardly on hard surface’ this summer.
It comes after the hit-maker’s husband David Furnish, 58, gave an update on his health earlier in October and admitted that Elton, who had been isolating ahead of his surgery, was ‘in pain’.
Revealing how Elton is doing, David told Hello!: ‘He’s good. He’s in pain. His hip is quite sore.
‘He’s been soldiering on for a long time, and he really was devastated to have to reschedule the next three months of shows.’
Update: It comes after Elton’s husband David Furnish, 58, gave an update on his health earlier in October and admitted that Elton, who had been isolating ahead of his surgery, was ‘in pain’