Dolly Parton Is Still Hoping To Have Tea With Kate Middleton After She Initially Turning Her Down For Not Promoting Her Rock Album

Dolly Parton is headed across the pond.

In 2023, the “9 to 5” singer was asked to have tea with Kate Middleton, but had to decline. Dolly, who met Queen Elizabeth several times over the decades, added that she wants to make a point to get back and have tea with Princess Kate one day:

“This time, Lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate. And I felt so bad… I couldn’t even go! They had all this stuff set up. I thought it was very sweet and nice of her to invite me and one of these days I’m going to get to do that – that would be great.”

The best part came when Parton revealed the exact reason that she had to turn the invitation down aside from her busy schedule.

“She wasn’t going to promote my rock album, so I had to say no.”

HA!

If Kate was not too offended by Parton’s joke surrounding her rock album, it appears the time for her to have tea with the princess might be on the horizon. Although, isn’t it funny how deals like that work? “Come on my shows” “Can I plug my album?” “No….” “Ok, pass then.”

But in a recent interview with the Huffington Post, Parton shared that she is headed to England in the fall. The information was shared after the Huffington Post asked Parton if she would ever collaborate with Megan Markle on something cooking- and lifestyle-related, given that Parton recently launched a line of frozen foods.

“Well, never say never, you never know where you’re gonna go. In fact, I’m going to go to England in October, and I’m going to actually, hopefully, get to have tea with the Queen.” 

Parton shared that Queen Camilla is involved with her Imagination Library and founded “The Queen’s Reading Room,” a similar literary charity and book club.

“So I’m going to go over there and kind of really rub elbows with the royalty. So yes, anything is possible. I never say no to anything.”

Parton also told the Huffington Post that she is ready to put her feelings about the rock album promotion aside on this visit to England to get to know the princess better.

“I don’t know if that offer still stands, but if she wants me and I’m there, I’ll be right there with tea bag in hand.”

Parton also told the outlet that her previous offer to take Prince William, Kate, and their three children to Dollywood still stands. Parton said it would be a “royal treat,” and I agree with that statement. Dollywood is a theme park that meets royal standards, and it would be so cute to see Prince William and Kate’s children riding the various themed rollercoasters and rides in the Pigeon Forge park.

Now that’s some content that I’d like to see.

Dolly Meets Queen Elizabeth II

Dolly Parton has always respected the royal family, sharing a tender note when Queen Elizabeth II passed.

Dolly met the Queen in May 1977, when she was overseas on her world tour and performed at the King’s Theatre for the Royal Variety Show as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee celebrations.

In celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s 25th year as England’s royal ruler, they went all-out, throwing parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

However, Dolly didn’t know she would be part of it until she got across the pond. According to The Tennessean, her team didn’t tell her she would be performing for the Queen until they were on their way to London, and Dolly says:

“They kept it a surprise from me until I was on the flight over.”

She added that she got butterflies right before she walked out on stage:

“I was a little bit nervous – on the brink of being scared. But when I walked out on stage, I was at ease. The crowd was just great.”

I can’t blame Dolly. Nerves would have hit me like a ton of bricks if I were performing for the Queen. However, she recalled that despite her nerves before hitting the stage, when her team told her the reason for their stop in London, she was overjoyed, and it took her back to her youth in East Tennessee, when she pretended to be a princess or queen.

“When they told me on the plane I was appearing in front of the queen, I just jumped up and down telling everyone. It’s just one of the biggest thrills of my life. When I was a little girl I grew up in a world of kings and queens and princes and princesses in fairy tales. Now I was going to meet one.”

Little Dolly would have been so proud of her in that moment.