Lionel Ritchie performed his 1984 hit Hello for the Duke of Cambridge at a charity event last night, telling the audience it was the favourite song of Prince William’s mother, Diana.

The US soul singer dedicated the song to the Duke as he performed at Alexandra Palace in north London.

Sitting at a piano on stage, Ritchie, 65, said: “Many years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Princess Diana and tonight we have Prince William here.

“I must tell you it is a pleasure to be with all of you but especially this gentleman, because his mother came to me ... and she said ‘My favourite song is Hello’.

“So I thought tonight the dedication is to you, my friend.”

The event was a special dinner to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a charity which provides health and social care support to the UK’s Jewish community.

William began his speech at the Jewish Care event by joking that the 1,400 guests would give Ritchie a harder time than the crowd at the Glastonbury festival, where he will perform later this month.

He quipped: “I imagine this crowd is a lot rowdier than what you will have at Glastonbury.”

Ritchie met William prior to going on stage and reminded him that he gave him and Prince Harry their first ever music tour jackets at a concert in the 1980s.

The singer said: “His mother and I were very close friends.

“I’m very proud of him as a father. I congratulated him on that.

“Back on my All Night Long/Dancing On The Ceiling tour I gave them - he and his brother - their first tour jackets.

“The joke with that was how long will they be able to wear them and I said ‘Not long’.

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