Kanye, Lily Allen join Diana concert lineup - Action News
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Entertainment

Kanye, Lily Allen join Diana concert lineup

Kanye West, Rod Stewart and Lily Allen are the latest high profile performers to join the upcoming concert tribute to Diana, the late Princess of Wales.

Kanye West, Rod Stewart and Lily Allen are the latest high profile performers to join the upcoming concert tribute toDiana, the late Princess of Wales.

U.S. rapper Kanye West has joined the lineup for the benefit concert paying tribute to Princess Diana.

Organizers announced on Thursday an expanded lineup, with recording artists such as Natasha Bedingfield and James Morrison joining previously announced performers,including Elton John, Joss Stone, Duran Duran and Pharrell Williams.

The July 1 show will also include performances by the English National Ballet and songs by musical theatre icon Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The first batch of more than 20,000 tickets to the Wembley Stadium concert sold out in under 20 minutes after the concert was first announced in December. Another batch of 10,000 will go on sale in London Friday morning.

The event is expected to draw about 60,000. Money raised will be earmarked for charities supported by the late princess.

Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, initiated the benefit concert in order to celebrate what would have been their mother's 46th birthday, as well as the 10th anniversary of her death. They have also planned a private memorial service atan undisclosed location on Aug. 31 the actual anniversary of Diana's fatal car crash in Paris.

Possible snags

Prince Harry, left, and Prince William announced the concert in December. ((Clarence House/Fergus Greer/Associated Press))

As the benefit concert draws closer, organizers have been working to dispel the notion of some possible snags to the summertime event.

In the U.K., some commentators are worried that the princes' show could be overshadowed by Al Gore's star-studded series of Live Earth global warming awareness concerts that were announced after the Royals' event and are set to take place less than a week later.

There have also been questions about the participation of Prince Harry, who is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq for army service in the coming weeks.

Concert for Diana project director Geoffrey Matthews told reporters on Thursday that if in Iraq, Harry would likely be granted a short leave to attend the concert.

Also on Thursday, several British media reported that army chiefs were reconsidering their decision to allow Harry to fight in Iraq with his army regiment.

With files from the Associated Press.