Guards Playing Aretha Franklin at Buckingham Palace
Queen Elizabeth II Pays Respect to Aretha Franklin With a Special Tribute at Buckingham Palace
Aretha Franklin's funeral drew an outpouring of love from people around the world on Friday. The Queen of Soul's "Celebration of Life" at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple featured performances by Ariana Grande, Faith Hill, Stevie Wonder, and Jennifer Hudson, but there was another special performance that happened across the pond. During the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, the Band of the Welsh Guards honoured the late musician by playing Aretha's hit "Respect."
"The Band of the Welsh Guards are world famous for their musical versatility and professional performance and this morning paid tribute to another musical icon and one that has been of huge influence and inspiration to our musicians – Aretha Franklin, whose funeral was being held in Detroit 3,748 miles away, at the same time of the Queen's Guard Change," the British Army wrote on their YouTube page. "In the Army Respect for others underpins all that we do, so there was only one tune that would do for today's ceremony: the 1967 Aretha Franklin hit 'R.E.S.P.E.C.T.' a declaration from a strong confident woman who knows that she has everything."
In 1980, Aretha performed for Queen Elizabeth II at London's Royal Albert Hall, and then again in 2002 during the queen's 50th Jubilee. Aretha passed away on Aug. 16 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 76.
