But he is said to have had a good reason for turning down the Royals’ offer.
It has long been rumored that Robbie Williams actually appeared at Charles III’s coronation ceremony. also should have sung. But when the time came in 2023, the Brits were nowhere to be seen. So it’s just a rumor without substance? Williams now confirmed in an interview: He was actually asked to be a live act for the celebrations, but canceled. He also revealed why, why, why – at least halfway.
Work that brings money rather than prestige comes first
Speaking to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, the 50-year-old admitted that he was asked by the royals to put on a show for them at the coronation. But he had to disappoint her – he simply couldn’t entertain her that day: “I was working. “I got something that I couldn’t refuse because of the money,” was his vague apology. He did not reveal to Cohen or the world which other job was said to have brought so much more cash than the prestige gig for Charles and his family.
Williams = Royals buddy
The musician is actually known as a supporter of the royal family. At least Robbie Williams appeared as a live act at the so-called Diamond Jubilee in 2012 – the festivities were organized by his ex-colleague from Take That, Gary Barlow.
But Williams wasn’t at the start at the royal ceremony on May 7, 2023 – instead, the Take That Boys Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, as well as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli and Robin Schulz appeared.
“Better Man” is a box office disaster
On the bad news for Williams: Sing when you’re losing – after just under three weeks in British and US cinemas, the Robbie Williams biopic, “Better Man”, has only grossed ten million US dollars worldwide. Given a production budget of $110 million, this is considered a megaflop. Especially since, in addition to the production costs of a film of this size, there are also expenses for marketing, which, although never released, usually amount to at least 50 percent of the production costs. A rule of thumb in the entertainment industry is that a film must gross at least 2.5 times its cost in order not to make a loss. “Better Man”, which opened in Germany on January 2nd, is unlikely to achieve this goal.
Of course you start to investigate the cause, what was the problem? On the one hand, there is certainly the concept: a film about Robbie Williams in which Robbie Williams is neither seen nor played by an actor, but by a computer-animated chimpanzee, is difficult to convey. Then the title: “Better Man” refers to a largely unknown song from the ex-and-again-and-then-again ex-Take-Thatter’s solo work, which was released in 2001 as the 6th and final single his third album SING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING was released – and only in Australia, New Zealand and Latin America. Imagine if the Queen biopic hadn’t been called “Bohemian Rhapsody” but “The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke.” Why wasn’t the film called “Let Me Entertain You”? In Germany, which is otherwise not particularly praiseworthy for dubbing titles, the film is called “Better Man – The Robbie Williams Story” in a more understandable way.