Buckingham Palace Pays Moving Tribute to Dolly Parton as Changing the Guard Band Performs ‘9 to 5’

Buckingham Palace honored Dolly Parton with a uniquely British tribute on Wednesday morning, just one day after the country music legend’s death at the age of 80.

During the traditional Changing the Guard ceremony, the military band performed Parton’s 1980 hit “9 to 5,” transforming one of the Palace’s most familiar spectacles into a musical farewell to the singer whose influence reached far beyond country music.

King Charles and Queen Camilla later shared footage of the performance on the Royal Family’s social media accounts, accompanied by a message celebrating Parton’s music, generosity and impact on children around the world.

The Royal Family remembers ‘the late, great Dolly’

The performance took place outside Buckingham Palace as members of the Coldstream Guards and Welsh Guards bands played an arrangement of “9 to 5.”

Footage of the moment was subsequently posted by the Royal Family, alongside a tribute that highlighted not only Parton’s career but also her philanthropic work.

“Remembering the late, great Dolly, who brought joy, comfort and inspiration to so many — including the millions of children given free books through her Imagination Library,” the message read.

The post ended with a reference to another of Parton’s most famous songs: “We will always ❤️ you.”

The gesture quickly drew emotional reactions online, with social media users describing the tribute as “perfect” and “wonderfully done.” Several said the performance had brought them to tears.

Dolly Parton died after a brief battle with cancer

Parton’s death was announced on Tuesday by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who had also served as her longtime head of security.

Her representatives later confirmed that she died at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville after what they described as a “brief battle with cancer.”

“Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” her representatives said.

The statement remembered Parton as someone whose career was defined not simply by her music, but by the joy and generosity she brought to others.

“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” the statement continued.

Her team also highlighted the enormous reach of Parton’s charitable work, particularly her Imagination Library, which distributed hundreds of millions of books to children.

Her health struggles had remained largely private

Although Parton had previously acknowledged experiencing health difficulties, she had not publicly disclosed that she was battling cancer.

During the year before her death, several appearances were postponed or canceled as she dealt with what she described generally as “health challenges.”

In what became one of her final interviews, Parton told PEOPLE that she had neglected some of her own health concerns while caring for her husband, Carl Thomas Dean.

“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she said.

Dean died in March 2025 at the age of 82 following an undisclosed prolonged illness.

His death had a profound impact on Parton.

Dolly struggled with life after losing Carl Dean

Parton and Dean had been married for nearly 59 years when he died.

Their relationship was famously private despite Parton spending most of her adult life in the public eye. Dean rarely accompanied his wife to industry events and remained largely outside the celebrity world surrounding her career.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in May 2025, Parton admitted that adapting to life without him had been difficult.

“I’m having to really go through a lot trying to figure out how to be without him because I was with him for so long,” she said.

She added that she would “miss him … for the rest of my life.”

Parton nevertheless continued working and remained publicly optimistic about the projects she still hoped to complete.

‘9 to 5’ was an especially fitting choice

The song selected for the Buckingham Palace tribute was one of Parton’s signature recordings.

Released in 1980 for the film of the same name, in which Parton starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, “9 to 5” became one of the defining songs of her career.

The track reflected the frustrations of working life while maintaining the wit and accessibility that characterized much of Parton’s songwriting.

Hearing it performed by a military band outside Buckingham Palace demonstrated the extraordinary cultural reach her music had achieved.

Parton began her career in country music, but over the decades her songs crossed generations, genres and national boundaries.

Her legacy extended far beyond music

While Parton was celebrated around the world for recordings including “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” her charitable work became an equally important part of her legacy.

The Imagination Library, founded in 1995, was particularly close to her heart.

Parton created the program in honor of her father, Robert Lee Parton Sr., who could not read. The initiative began by providing free books to young children in her home region of East Tennessee before expanding dramatically.

Over the following decades, millions of children received books through the mail as the program grew across the United States and internationally.

That work was specifically acknowledged in the Royal Family’s message following Wednesday’s performance.

A royal farewell unlike any other

Parton’s passing prompted tributes from fellow musicians, actors, political leaders and fans around the world.

But the sight of guards standing outside Buckingham Palace while “9 to 5” echoed through the forecourt offered something particularly memorable.

It combined one of Britain’s most traditional ceremonies with a song written by a woman raised in rural Tennessee who went on to become one of the world’s most recognizable entertainers.

The Royal Family’s closing words captured the sentiment behind the tribute with a nod to the song that became synonymous with Parton across generations.

“We will always love you.”