Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Eurovision, TV And Film, Kate Middleton
Emily Brown
Eurovision 2023 is only just getting started, but already viewers have been left baffled by the sight of a royal family member appearing in the opening credits.
The highly-anticipated live final of the singing contest is now underway, with the BBC providing all of the coverage from the event in Liverpool.
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The show kicked off with some opening credits before launching into a flag parade featuring all 26 of tonight's performing countries, but it wasn't a finalist that caught people's attention.
Instead, it was none other than Prince William's wife, Kate Middleton.
The Princess of Wales was spotted playing the piano during the opening credits of Eurovision 2023, shortly after Sam Ryder, who was the UK's entry last year, was spotted on top of a Liverpool landmark.
Kate is known to be a talented pianist, but her appearance during the show caught people off guard and prompted many to take to Twitter to ask questions.
One viewer seemed to catch their reactions live as they wrote: "OMG a Kalush Orchestra and Sam Ryder mashup!!!! AND KATE MIDDLETON PLAYING PIANO?! WHAT???"
Another baffled viewer commented: "Didn’t expect to see Kate Middleton on the piano in the intro."
The Princess' appearance involved a short performance of a song created by Joe Price and Kojo Samuel, but unlike most of the other acts at tonight's event, her performance was pre-recorded.
Kate sat down to record her performance in the Crimson Drawing Room of Windsor Castle before it was broadcast on TV to millions.
The Princess caught up with Ryder ahead of Eurovision tonight, with the singer telling People that he spoke with the Princess of Wales after his performance at the King's coronation concert on 7 May.
"She was just saying that they all appreciated the way that the team had handled the Eurovision journey, and that meant so much to all of us," Ryder said.
"What I gather is a lot of the members of the royal family had seen Eurovision and were supporting my song from home, which means a lot.
"It was incredible, and it was so inspiring to get the encouragement from the royal family because they stand for such similar themes that Eurovision celebrates as well, like unity, togetherness, and solidarity.”
Other well known faces in the opening credits included Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ms Banks, Ballet Black, Bolt Strings and Joss Stone.
Kate has previously shown off her talents on the piano at her December 2021 Christmas carol concert.