London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2026

Eurovision 2023: King Charles tells Mae Muller he will be 'egging you on'

Eurovision 2023: King Charles tells Mae Muller he will be 'egging you on'

King Charles III has told the UK's Eurovision entrant Mae Muller he will be "egging" her on and watching next month's contest "with great interest".

The King and Queen Consort met the singer when they visited the venue in Liverpool and unveiled the event's set.

Camilla said "no pressure" to Muller, who replied: "It feels like a good energy this year, no nil points."

She added: "As long as I can get up there and say it's the best I've ever done it, I'll be pleased."

The venue will stage the first semi-final in less than two weeks, as the UK hosts the annual competition on behalf of last year's winners Ukraine.

The grand final will take place a week after the coronation.

"We'll be watching with great interest, egging you on," the King told Muller.

The King and Queen Consort also met Julia Sanina, Rylan Clark, Hannah Waddingham and Scott Mills


The King and Queen Consort also met co-hosts Hannah Waddingham and Julia Sanina, commentators Rylan Clark and Scott Mills, and members of the production team.

"They were very lovely, so chatty," Clark told BBC Radio 2 afterwards. "And Queen Consort Camilla was like, 'I hear you've been in The Archers," referring to his appearance in a special Eurovision episode of the Radio 4 soap.

Clark went on to tell the King he would have to "behave himself this year" because Eurovision is in the UK, Mills said. "I won't be able to roll around Italy like I normally do," Clark added.

"That did get a Royal laugh," noted Mills.

The King and Queen Consort also pushed a button to officially light up the arena for the first time.

The venue has been fitted with more than 2,000 specialist lighting fixtures, with a pink, blue and yellow colour scheme to match this year's Eurovision logo.

The cabling for the lighting, sound and video could reach eight miles if rolled out.

The King and Queen Consort pressed a button to switch on the lights on the Eurovision set

This year's stage was designed to symbolise the UK offering a hug to last year's winners Ukraine

The semi-finals will take place on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 May, before the final on Saturday 13 May.


Around 6,000 fans will be in the arena for each of the shows, with an estimated 160 million viewers watching the final around the world.

Tickets have sold out, but there will be a Eurovision Village fan zone for thousands to watch the event on big screens, and a two-week cultural festival in the city will also run alongside the competition.

BBC director general Tim Davie said: "It is an honour that His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort have come here today to reveal the fantastic staging for our Eurovision Song Contest programming.

"This set will be the focal point for all of the celebrations and we cannot wait to see it lighting up Liverpool and TV screens across the world."

Last month, stage designer Julio Himede told the BBC's Eurovisioncast podcast the set at the M&S Bank Arena was "very adaptable".

"It was an interesting creative challenge to come up with a design that felt big enough in the arena and big enough on camera," he said.

"Creatively, me and my team had to think about how we could give the stage an identity that says Eurovision - one of the biggest music shows in the world."

Around half of the 37 participants wil use the catwalk that extends from the main stage during their performances, he added.


Who pays for Eurovision?


As this year's host broadcaster, the bulk of the cost to put on the three live televised shows falls to the BBC.

The total is expected to be between £8m and £17m, but the corporation hasn't released its budget for the event.

Malta's The Busker will compete in the first semi-final on Tuesday 9 May


Each year, the 37 competing broadcasters all pay a fee to enter, which in recent years has totalled a combined sum of about £5m.

The BBC, which is the UK's participating broadcaster, does not make its contribution public.

There is also £10m coming from the UK government, which includes an undisclosed amount being given to assist with the BBC's spending for the event.

However, officials say the majority will be spent on ensuring "the inclusion of Ukrainian culture".

Finally, local authorities in Liverpool have pledged £4m for the event.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Laura Trott Pledges Tighter Controls on Political Activism in UK Classrooms
Welsh Ministers Launch Long-Term Review of North Wales and Anglesey Crossings
Welsh Government Orders 18-Month Study of Road Solutions Around Newport
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin Faces Scrutiny Over £800,000 Second Home Purchase
British Households Grow More Concerned About Fuel and Energy Prices
NHS Leaders Warn of Rising Winter Pressure on Emergency Departments
Kemi Badenoch Proposes £2.3 Billion Employer National Insurance Cut for Young Workers
Middle East Conflict Could Erase UK Fiscal Headroom, Economists Warn
Manchester City Found Guilty of Multiple Premier League Financial Rule Breaches
UK Security Services Find Strong Indications of Iranian Role in RAF Fairford Incident
Costa Coffee Returns to Operating Profit on Iced Drinks and Menu Changes
Asos Warns Customers After Unauthorized Access to Retail App and Data
Kemi Badenoch Puts Growth and Deregulation at Center of Conservative Conference
Campaigners Warn of Deepening Social Care Crisis for Disabled Adults
Study Finds Rising Early-Onset Cancer Rates Among Adults Under 50 in Britain
UK Coach Operators Warn High Diesel Prices Could Force Route Cuts
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein-Linked Whistleblower Case
Argentina Vows to Block Falkland Islands Offshore Oil Development
UK Chancellor Prepares Fiscal Measures and Welfare Reforms Ahead of Autumn Budget
Sainsbury’s and Morrisons Explore Potential Multi-Billion-Pound Merger
UK Weighs Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles to Align With European Union
UK Threatens Diplomatic Expulsions Over Planned Closure of East Jerusalem Consulate
UK Energy Price Cap Hits Three-Year High as Middle East Conflict Raises Costs
Seventh Arrest Made in Suspected Terror Plot at RAF Fairford
Systemic Education Collapse Sparks Mass Student Uprisings in France
Green Party Faces Backlash Over Resolution Equating Zionism With Racism
Conservatives Debate Scrapping Environmental Rules for New Homes
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Approach £2,000 This Winter
UK Coach Operators Warn of Service Cuts as Diesel Prices Exceed £2
Scottish Parliament Approves £68 Billion Budget With New Tax and Property Measures
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein Whistleblower
UK Government Drops Plan to Suspend Jury Trials in England and Wales
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Markets Watch November
Two Iranian Nationals Charged Over Alleged Plot Targeting Manchester Jewish Community
UK Fiscal Headroom Halves to £11 Billion Ahead of Budget, EY Warns
US Bomber Withdrawal From RAF Fairford Prompts UK Security Review
Sarah Wakfer Appointed Chair of Northern Ireland’s Health and Care Regulator
Scotland Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low Amid National Shortage
UK Water Companies Face Tougher Oversight and Unannounced Regulatory Inspections
Middle East Conflict Pushes UK Fuel and Wholesale Energy Prices Higher
Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Second Brexit Referendum in Review of UK-EU Relations
EY Warns UK Fiscal Headroom Has Halved to £11 Billion Ahead of Autumn Budget
BT Accused of Pressuring Vulnerable Customers During Digital Landline Shift
British Carmakers Warn of Growing Pressure From EU-China Tariff Dispute
Green Party of England and Wales Adopts Motion Defining Zionism as Racism
Medical Charity Threatens NHS Legal Action Over Two-Year Autism and ADHD Assessment Waits
British Transport Police Report Record Rise in Violence on Railways
Glasgow Council Workers Face Pay Cuts Under Fire-and-Rehire Plan
British Medical Groups Press Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Cancel £330 Million Palantir NHS Contract
UK Faces Record Bluetongue Outbreak Across Livestock Farms
×