Aretha Franklin honored by military band at Buckingham Palace
Aretha Franklin is being remembered Friday at a funeral service in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. But more than 3,700 miles away, she was honored by a military band at London's Buckingham Palace.
Troops from the British Army's Household Division performed Franklin's 1967 hit "Respect" for attendants of the annual Changing of the Guards Ceremony on Friday morning. The Band of the Welsh Guards paid tribute to the "musical icon" who was a "huge influence and inspiration to our musicians," the Army in London posted on Facebook.
They called her song "Respect" a "declaration from a strong confident woman who knows that she has everything."
Franklin's funeral drew big names in music and politics to Detroit on Friday. The Clark Sisters, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder were scheduled to perform. Former President Bill Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were among the list of notable speakers during the six and one-half hour long service.
The Queen of Soul, whose music career spanned over six decades, died of cancer earlier this month at the age of 76.
