Buckingham Palace turned one of its best-known traditions into a joyful farewell for country legend Dolly Parton. The Band of the Coldstream Guards performed Parton‘s hit “9 to 5” during the Changing of the Guard on Wednesday, August 26, one day after her death was announced. Parton was 80.
Footage of the unexpected musical tribute quickly spread online, leaving royal watchers and Parton’s fans overcome with emotion.
Buckingham Palace Honors Dolly Parton With ‘9 to 5’
The familiar opening notes of “9 to 5” rang through the Buckingham Palace forecourt as tourists watched the historic ceremony from behind the gates.
The Coldstream Guards’ military band performed an instrumental arrangement of the 1980 hit while the new guard arrived to take over palace duties. The royal family later shared footage of the performance through its official social media accounts.
The performance offered a fitting salute to Parton, whose music reached far beyond the country charts during her seven-decade career.
“9 to 5” became one of her defining songs and also served as the title track for the 1980 film in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
King Charles and Queen Camilla Share a Moving Message
King Charles III and Queen Camilla accompanied the video with a personal tribute recognizing both Parton’s music and her charitable work. “Remembering the late, great Dolly, who brought joy, comfort and inspiration to so many,” the message read.
Charles and Camilla concluded, “We will always ❤️ you,” a touching reference to Parton’s enduring ballad “I Will Always Love You.”
The King and Queen were reportedly away at Balmoral for their annual summer break when the tribute took place. The Union Flag flew above the palace during the ceremony, ITV News reported.
Queen Camilla’s Charity Celebrates Dolly Parton’s Reading Legacy
The Queen’s Reading Room also remembered Parton for her decades-long commitment to childhood literacy.
Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to send free books to young children. The program began in her home county in Tennessee before expanding across the United States and several other countries.
Camilla’s charity praised Parton as a tireless supporter of reading and said her program had distributed more than 300 million books over three decades.
The organization thanked Parton for giving millions of children a chance to discover imagination, opportunity and a lasting love of books.
Royal Fans Say the Tribute ‘Brought Them to Tears’
The palace performance struck an emotional chord with viewers worldwide.
Social media users described the musical salute as “wonderfully done” and “perfect.” Many said hearing “9 to 5” played during the centuries-old royal ceremony brought them to tears.
A fan reacted to the tribute and wrote: “This simply melted melted my heart ❤️. Thank you 🙏. I feel like if we could all be a bit more like Dolly going forward the world 🌎 would be a much better place.”
“They must have been practicing all night for this. I’m glad His Majesty commanded this well-deserved commemoration of Dolly Parton,” one fan wrote, while another praised the royal household for recognizing the singer’s worldwide influence.
Another added, “From a two room house to being honored around the world. Never underestimate how far you can go. Thank you for honoring @dollyparton like this! I bet she was tickled even more pink!💖”
“What a love tribute , I’m sure if Dolly is looking down she’d be overjoyed to think the royal household band was playing her music. Well done to all involved 👏👏👏👏👏❤️”, wrote another Parton fan.
The performance joined a growing collection of memorials for Parton, whose Hollywood Walk of Fame star was covered with bright pink flowers after news of her death broke.
For grieving fans, the palace’s tribute captured the warmth and joy Parton brought to generations of listeners while honoring a legacy that extended well beyond the stage.
