Taylor Swift turned down the chance to perform at King Charles' coronation concert, according to sources.
The iconic pop star was among several other A-listers who declined an invitation, according to royal commentator Omid Scobie.
Speaking with the Independent, Scobie suggested that these "shrug offs" could be an indicator that Charles is not as popular as his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who drew a star-studded lineup at her Platinum Jubilee celebration.
In his new book, "Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival," Scobie revealed the inner workings of royal life leading up to the queen's passing, detailing Princess Kate's rumored strained connection with Meghan Markle, reported tensions between King Charles and Prince William, and alleged involvement of Princess Anne in the eviction of the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage.
In the book, he suggests that the new king "just doesn't have the requisite gravitas" to draw public and celebrity support. His coronation concert at Windsor Castle is proof: Scobie said it "proved a challenge for the organisers" because of the "long" list of acts who turned down the chance to perform at the show.
"With the country facing economic crises at home and reputational bruising abroad, large sections of the public are increasingly less tolerant of royal extravagance and family dramas," Scobie writes.
"Even finding entertainment for [King Charles'] coronation court at Windsor Castle proved a challenge for the organisers," he wrote. "The list of acts who declined the invitation to perform was long and included Sir Elton John, Harry Styles, the Spice Girls, Adele, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran.
"Contrast that with the line-up for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Queen (with Adam Lambert), Alicia Keys, Sir Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, and, more than happy to clear his schedule for Her Majesty, even Sir Elton," he adds.
Swift was in Nashville, Tennessee, for her eras Tour shows at the time of the coronation on May 6, the Independent noted.
Commenting on the turnout for the event, Scobie noted that the refusals to perform may be a sign of "something deeper at work."
"Charles ... spent a majority of his life in the wake of the grand-class cruise ship of his mother's reputation," he writes. "In fact, positive opinion of the royal family in the United Kingdom dropped from 68 per cent to 54 per cent within four months of the Queen's death.
"In our era of celebrity obsession and pop culture icons, if Elton and Harry Styles can't be bothered, why should we be?"