Elton John to miss Princess Diana's memorial party as he recovers from hip surgery

Sir Elton John will reportedly skip Princess Diana's memorial party, which is being hosted by Prince William at the Kensington Palace on October 19. The singer, who was one of Diana's close friends from the entertainment industry was invited to the celebration being held in honour of the statue of the late Princess, which was unveiled on 1 July, marking her 60th birthday. 

According to The Sun, a source informed the reason behind Elton John's failure to attend the party, citing his condition after he underwent hip replacement surgery at the beginning of the month. It stated that the singer is well on the path to recovery but is 'taking things slow'. Apart from John, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will also give the party a miss. The exclusive event, which includes 100 VIP guests, was initially slated to take place in July but got postponed due to the COVID safety protocols. 

Elton John to skip Princess Diana's memorial party 

John has apparently been a godfather figure to Prince William and Prince Harry and was one of the first invitees for the event. He has also sent in his apologies to the royal family. John also had to push back the European leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour due to his health issues. Elton had earlier revealed that it happened at the end of his "summer break" when he "fell awkwardly on a hard surface". "Despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving", he then tweeted. 

As for the event, it is intended to thank the donors who funded the statue, which showcases Diana in the later stages of her life, surrounded by three children. The royal sibling duo had united earlier this year for the statue unveiling of their late mother, which also saw eminent personalities like Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes in attendance. The brothers also gave a joint speech at the event. 

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their first-ever public appearance after becoming parents to Lilibet in June as they attended the Global Citizen Live event, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge recently marked their presence at the premiere of Daniel Craig's last James Bond film, No Time To Die.

IMAGE: AP