Sir Rod Stewart said the Queen “has always been a part of my life” in an interview ahead of his performance at the BBC’s Jubilee Party at The Palace.

The music legend will be taking to the stage in the star-studded show outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday night along with the likes of Craig David, Alicia Keys, and Diana Ross.

Speaking to BBC News on Friday, he said: “It’s pride, it’s pride in being British, it’s the pageantry, the romance. I mean, I’ve grown up with this woman, you know, I was seven when when she came to the throne, so she’s always been part of my life, you know, and the fact that I’ve met her on several occasions makes it even more important for me.”

“She’s, as I said, she’s been so much part of my life. It’s almost, I don’t know, almost like a sister, you know. She’s always been in the background of my life”, he added.

Sir Rod, who was knighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity, also said the show was “nerve-wracking”, despite having played countless concerts.

He also told the programme he will be singing a song he has previously never performed and has been unable to rehearse.

Recalling a previous concert he played attended by the Queen, he said: “I’ve met her on a couple occasions. So we were doing a charity concerts at St James’s Palace for Her Majesty and the late Duke of Edinburgh.

“And they were only sitting by the band here, and they were sitting 10 yards away. Right? And they looked terrified because they thought I was going to do Do You Think I’m Sexy, Hot Legs, real loud music.

“And I started off, ‘you must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a smile is just a smile’. There was so relieved they beamed from ear to ear.”