![\"UK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ec1682a1808776e3ec8c54dca21e1584.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nKing Charles III shared an unexpectedly playful moment with Dame Elaine Paige during her investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, with the musical theatre legend revealing a private exchange that caught her by surprise.<\/p>\n
The 78-year-old singer, actress and broadcaster was recognised for her services to music and charity during an investiture ceremony held as part of the King’s 2025 Birthday Honours.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the occasion in an interview with The Metro UK, Dame Elaine described the day as “magical”, recalling how she was honoured alongside a host of high-profile recipients, including former football star David Beckham and acclaimed actor Gary Oldman.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Olivier Award-winning performer also opened up about her brief but memorable interaction with King Charles, 77, during the ceremony.<\/p>\n
“He was up on a dais and I’m particularly short. He leant down beside my left ear and said, ‘Keeping your hand in, are you?’.”<\/p>\n
After it was suggested the remark was “saucy”, Dame Elaine quickly responded with a joke of her own.<\/p>\n
“I said, ‘I’m working on a new album – I’ll send you a signed copy, Your Majesty, when it’s finished’.”<\/p>\n
According to the BBC Radio 2 star, the King’s reaction was immediate.<\/p>\n
“He roared with laughter,\u201d she said. “I might actually send him a signed copy!”<\/p>\n
Dame Elaine, often referred to as the ‘First Lady of Musical Theatre’, remains one of Britain’s most celebrated stage performers, with a career spanning more than five decades.<\/p>\n
While discussing her personal life, the broadcaster said she was content with where life had taken her.<\/p>\n
“Well, there’s not much new to that (being single). I’m enjoying it. I’ve had lots of lovely relationships but I’m at a stage where I can do exactly what I want, when I want. But never say never.”<\/p>\n
King Charles, meanwhile, has been married to Queen Camilla for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n
Before that, he was married to the late Princess Diana for 15 years.<\/p>\n
The Windsor Castle honour capped off a remarkable period for Dame Elaine, who was also recognised at this year’s Olivier Awards with the prestigious 2026 Special Award.<\/p>\n
Adding to the occasion, Queen Camilla sent a personal message that was read aloud by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, paying tribute to the musical theatre icon’s decades-long contribution to the arts.<\/p>\n
“I was delighted to learn you were to receive this year’s special award of the Oliviers 2026,” Lloyd Webber said on behalf of the Queen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I can think of no more fitting recipient.<\/p>\n
“Over the decades of your career, your talent, commitment and generosity of spirit have made you a truly defining figure in musical theatre.<\/p>\n
“You have quite simply brought huge joy to untold numbers of people across the globe, and we are all in your debt. I do hope that you have a wonderful evening.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"King Charles III shared an unexpectedly playful moment with Dame Elaine Paige during her investiture ceremony at Windsor…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":755028,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[64,63,447,134,15399],"class_list":["post-755027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-celebrities","tag-entertainment","tag-king-charles-iii"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=755027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755027\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/755028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=755027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=755027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=755027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}