Newsmakers

Two gallant British knights, one oddly-named 'atomic kitten', a baldie and perhaps Britney, the world's sexiest virgin, are to unite onstage in the most unusual royal party of them all, watched by millions around the world, including India, if all goes well.

As the British Queen celebrates half-a-century of dull respectability on the throne, Buckingham Palace is striving mightily to tell the globe there is more to British royalty than fusty tradition, salacious tabloid gossip, unworthy tittle-tattle and the late-lamented Princess Diana. Unusually for stuffy royal officials, pop music has been picked as a way into the hearts of people around the world.

Says Simon Walker, communications director at the Palace, "British music has been dominant internationally throughout the Queen's reign, so picking some of the biggest stars of that period but also some of the current pop idols of the day seems a very good way to do it".

The end result will be a multiple-starrer concert bill featuring Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Atomic Kitten, Phil Collins and possibly, hold your breath, Britney Spears. Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin will be there too, as will the dishy young princes William and Harry, who have been given responsibility for whipping up enthusiasm on behalf of their grandmother.

The BBC is negotiating to sell rights to the concert around the world, including India, a BBC spokesman confirmed to this paper, declining to say which local broadcaster was in talks to buy it.

Royal watchers described the June pop concert, with its free tickets, free champagne picnic and specially-catered menu from the royal kitchens as the British monarchy's biggest exercise in democracy.

Palace spokesman Stuart Neill told this paper diversity was the aim, which is why invitations were being offered in six South Asian languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali and Mirpuri.

Young British Indians said they were excited. "Who wouldn't want a free party and a free champagne picnic," said London university student Abhay Patel. His classmate Meghna said she hoped for the chance to see the young royal princes at the concert.

Palace officials said they expected to be inundated with more than 100,000 requests for tickets and good take-up of television rights around the world.

Cynical royal watchers said the Palace had successfully made the Queen's Golden Jubilee concert a talking point around the world, but the enthusiasm was notably more for the pop stars and princes than the woman at the centre of it all, Britain's dutiful Queen Elizabeth II.