Charles and Kiri reunited amid ‘tears of happiness’
SHE HAD been a Royal favourite since she sang at the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, an occasion that propelled her from New Zealand stardom to the world stage.
Yesterday, Charles and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa were reunited, and the soprano confessed to crying tears of happiness as he bestowed on her the Companionship of Honour.
She had announced her retirement in 2009 at 65, but hoped, she said, to inspire the next generation of musicians to the same level of success.
“It’s so important to me to keep the next generation going,” she said. “What I had, I’d love for the others to enjoy it as well.”
She had been made a dame in 1982, the year after the Royal wedding, at which she performed Handel’s Let the Bright Seraphim, and was given the latest honour for services to music.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “It’s almost quite frightening to receive such an honour from our future king.”
Also at the Palace was the boxer Anthony Joshua, who used the occasion to declare that he wanted to become the “undisputed champion” by taking on the American Deontay Wilder.
The Olympic gold medallist in 2012, and the current IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight world champion, was presented with an OBE for his services to sport.
Boxing, he said, “helps people from different backgrounds” and he spoke of his desire to take on Wilder, the WBC champion, at Wembley in April.
He had to look on as Wilder and Tyson Fury fought out a draw in Los Angeles earlier this month, and said: “Every fighter is my biggest challenge. They’re definitely big challenges and I would love to fight them in the next 12 months. I would love to.”
He said the chances of the fight happening were “50/50” and that “the reason why I’ve booked Wembley is to face Wilder – so if it’s not Wilder then I don’t know who can fill that void”.
Joshua, who grew up in Watford, said boxing provided diverse opportunities, adding: “You meet people, you inspire them and they do the same.”
Later, the TV gardener Monty Don was presented with an OBE.
“It’s very nice to receive such an honour from His Royal Highness as a lot of the things I do he has a keen interest in,” he said.