Dolly Parton Reveals She Turned Down Tea With Kate Middleton

Dolly Parton has revealed that she had plans for tea with Kate Middleton but turned down the invitation. In a recent interview with BBC Radio 2, the country music icon revealed that she's been so busy promoting her forthcoming rock album Rockstar, that she didn't even have time to drink tea with the Princess of Wales.

“This time, Lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate,” Parton said per People. “And I felt so bad… I couldn’t even go! They had all this stuff set up.” The quick-witted singer then joked that there was actually another reason she didn't take Middleton up on the offer. "She wasn’t going to promote my rock album, so I had to say no," she quipped. Dolly went on to say that the invite was "very sweet and nice," adding that, "one of these days I’m going to get to do that… That would be great!”

While Dolly didn't get to hang with the royal family during her recent visit to the UK, she's crossed paths with them before. Back in 1977, the "Jolene" singer performed at the late Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee. Decades later, Dolly opened up about the experience and revealed that she was "scared to death" to mess up the curtsy in front of the Queen. When she passed in September 2022, Dolly was among many celebrities to pay tribute to the record-breaking monarch. “She carried herself with grace and strength her entire life,” Parton wrote on Instagram. “May she Rest In Peace. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.”