Kylie dazzles Charles and Camilla (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Kylie dazzles Charles and Camilla

10:56am Thursday 25th October 2012 in Entertainment News By Simon Patchett

Kylie Minogue dazzled the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall when she performed a surprise concert by royal appointment.

The pop princess sang three pared-down songs for Charles and Camilla at a St James's Palace reception to mark their Diamond Jubilee tour, which begins next month.

Ahead of the performance, Kylie tweeted "One is on one's way to St James's Palace" and posted a picture of a soldier on guard duty outside the historic building in central London.

Famous faces and dignitaries from the three nations the royal couple will be visiting - Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand - were invited to the event.

Among the 200 guests were comic Barry Humphries, soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, broadcaster and musician Rolf Harris, and former New Zealand rugby captain Sean Fitzpatrick.

But all eyes were on Kylie, who wore a stylish black evening dress and was joined on stage by two backing singers, a guitarist and a pianist.

She is celebrating 25 years as a singer and has released her 12th album in celebration - The Abbey Road Sessions. It features 16 songs from her career, with new orchestral arrangements, recorded in the famous Abbey Road studios where the Beatles created their albums.

Before singing the Locomotion, she told her audience: "The big question is, are you ready to swing your hips now?"

She then told Charles and Camilla: "Bon voyage, have a fantastic trip."