King Charles is beaming as he arrives at the glitzy investment summit at St Paul’s Cathedral where Elton John is expected to perform.

King Charles appeared to be in high spirits as he arrived at a lavish dinner reception at St Paul’s Cathedral this evening, where Elton John will perform.

The 75-year-old monarch smiled as he shook hands with esteemed guests at the event, which took place after the Government’s International Investment Summit.

He donned a navy blue suit, which he paired with a blue and white patterned tie, adorned with a matching handkerchief.

The King smiled as he chatted to international business leaders during tonight’s meeting, alongside other senior figures including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Dinner will be prepared by three Michelin star chef Clare Smyth.

Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman of Universal Music Group, told Guardian: ‘He (Elton John) is an ambassador. He wanted to be here.’

Elton is close to the royal family, particularly Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, performing at their wedding reception at St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle, and socializing with them.

He was also a close friend of Princess Diana and threw a Candle into the wind after her death.

Harry and Meghan revealed in 2022 that their son, Archie, loves Elton’s 1974 hit ‘Bennie and the Jets’ and even sings along when it’s on.

The singer is believed to have played his hits Tiny Dancer, Circle of Life, Your Song and I’m Still Standing at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding.

The Goodbye Yellow Brick Road singer also attended Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in 2012, appearing on stage alongside Queen Elizabeth, Charles and Camilla.

It comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer today opened a splashy UK investment summit by telling businesses it is a “great time to invest in Britain”.

The prime minister struck an optimistic tone as he addressed hundreds of senior officials at London’s Guildhall, hoping to raise tens of billions of pounds for the economy.

He insisted the government was “stable” after the Brexit “circus” and would “tear down bureaucracy” and do “everything in my power to galvanize growth”.

But it also sent a harsh message about the need to be “tough” on public finances, with fears of an imminent “fiscal bomb” in the budget.

Businesses have been warning that increasing their element of national insurance and capital gains levies would be a “tax on jobs”.

There are also fears that imposing NICs on employer pension contributions – which could raise up to £17bn a year for the Treasury – would hit superannuation funds and hamper investment.

Sir Keir also received a stern message from former Google boss Eric Schmidt during an on-stage “talk” event. The tech guru said the UK was too full of people saying “no” and that “the delay is killing you”.

In his keynote speech at Guildhall, he said: “We have our problems, of course we do, as I have said, our public services need urgent attention, our public finances need the tough love of prudence – challenges we cannot ignore.

“Because we know, as do all the leaders here, that those first weeks and months are precious, and no matter how many people advise you to ignore it, that you must run toward the fire to put it out, not let it spread any further.” .’

He said it was “a mission-based mindset that thinks in years, not days or news grid hours, needed to unlock potential.”

Sir Keir will host leading investors and CEOs at the inaugural International Investment Summit, where ministers hope to unveil deals worth billions to AIlife sciences and infrastructure.

The summit was almost overshadowed by a row over criticism of P&O Ferries that jeopardized a £1 billion investment by its Dubai-based owner DP World.

The dispute was only settled at the weekend after Sir Keir criticized his own Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, for urging a boycott of the operator.

Schmidt told the Prime Minister in a question and answer session: ‘Democracies, especially something as old as this, have many ways in which people can say no.

‘I would prefer – and I think the business community would very much prefer – to have one person who can say yes or no… and then they can move on.

“The cost of capital and delay is killing you, and you’re not going to achieve your laudable 2030 energy goal without fixing this.”

“You have a tactical leadership problem to achieve this and I think you can achieve this, but you have to find a way to gain control.”

The Prime Minister responded: “I think this is a really big challenge – it has to be a priority for the whole government, not just within the Treasury team.”

He added that ‘we are putting in place some of the structures that will do this’ and repeated that the Government’s central question would always be: ‘Does this promote growth or does it not promote growth?’

In a round of interviews this morning, Science Secretary Peter Kyle said he is “absolutely willing to collaborate” with Elon Musk amid suggestions that the mogul had been turned down an invitation.

Kyle suggested that Musk, who clashed with Sir Keir during the summer riots, was not invited to the international investment summit because he “doesn’t tend to participate in these types of events”.

When asked if the Government should have invited Musk, Kyle told Times Radio: “Let me send you my best wishes on the safe landing of the booster rocket yesterday, it was an amazing achievement and I saw with my mouth open what an amazing achievement that was.” .

“Elon Musk has never attended any of the investment summits held under the previous government, he does not usually attend these types of events, but I am absolutely willing to collaborate with him to discuss any possible global events.” investments you are making; I’m not aware of any at this time.”