Kate Middleton Used Her Piano Skills In A Surprise Eurovision 2023 Cameo

The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 culminated in a historic win on May 13 — but not without a royal surprise first. The host nation tapped one of its most famous figures for an unexpected musical moment in the final’s opening number. Catherine, Princess of Wales, showcased her piano skills in a footage filmed at Buckingham Palace, joining a larger performance of last year’s top song, “Stefania,” by Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.

The first performance of the final night started with pre-recorded “Stefania” segments that led into a live rendition with Kalush Orchestra at Liverpool Arena. Multiple big names had cameos in the video portion, including celebrated composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Eurovision 2022 runner-up Sam Ryder, rapper Ms Banks, and singer Joss Stone. Though Kate’s musical credentials aren’t as illustrious as her fellow performers’ are, she has years of piano experience and was ready to play her part. After the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram account shared her clip, followers raved that it was “incredible,” “amazing,” and “awesome.” At least one person “spat all [their] tea out” and another “jumped on [their] seat” when they saw her playing.

“A pleasure to join @kalush.official in a special performance of last year’s winning @eurovision entry,” the post’s caption read, announcing the “Eurovision surprise” as the final began.

The performance included scenes in both Ukraine and the United Kingdom, allowing the group to honor their home country. Normally, Kalush Orchestra’s win would have given Ukraine the chance to host the following Eurovision competition, but safety concerns stemming from Russia’s ongoing invasion prevented it from hosting. With the United Kingdom hosting in Ukraine’s place, and Liverpool Arena was home to the three-night event on May 9, May 11, and May 13.

The Princess of Wales’ cameo earned her a shoutout from Kalush Orchestra in an Instagram story afterward: “Kate Middleton took part in our performance to open the Eurovision Song Contest final,” text overlap read. She could be seen wearing the blue of Ukraine’s flag, perhaps as a subtle show of support. Kalush previously described “Stefania” as “a symbol of the struggle for freedom” amid the war in Ukraine. It was originally written for frontman Oleh Psiuk’s mother, but he has shared that it took on new meaning as fans “created videos to this song and dedicated them to the heroic resistance” of his compatriots.

While Kate’s involvement in the “Stefania” performance was buzz-worthy, it wasn’t officially the performance of the last night. The contest culminated in Swedish singer Loreen winning with the song “Tattoo.” Her victory was historic as it made her the first female performer to win Eurovision twice, and the second ever after Ireland’s Jonny Logan, who won in 1980 and 1987. Loreen’s first win was more than a decade prior, in 2012.

“This feels amazing,” Loreen said in her first interview after being crowned. Calling it “surreal in the beginning,” she said it was “sinking in.” She also reflected on how Eurovision has changed since she won 11 years ago, saying, “It’s so much bigger now. … I love this community, it has such beautiful values.”