RUKUS.news

King Charles joins Elton John on Rocket Hour to mark his birthday and trust's 50 years

9h ← 11h

Summary

  • King Charles appeared with Sir Elton John on a special edition of Rocket Hour on Apple Music, first broadcast on the monarch's 78th birthday.
  • The episode celebrated 50 years of The King's Trust, founded by Charles in 1976 as the Prince's Trust and renamed after he became king in 2022.
  • Charles and Sir Elton John discussed benefit concerts for the trust, including a 1986 Rock Gala at Wembley Arena where Elton John performed 'I'm Still Standing'.
  • Charles's playlist included 'I'm Still Standing', Calvin Harris's 'Giant', Phil Collins's 'In the Air Tonight', Rod Stewart's 'Handbags and Gladrags' and the Beatles' 'All You Need Is Love'.
  • The trust says it has supported more than one million young people since Charles founded it in 1976 using his Royal Navy severance pay.
  • Charles, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, recorded the episode with Sir Elton John, who has had eyesight problems in recent years.

Reactions

  • King Charles joked in the clip that he and Sir Elton John are 'still standing', 40 years on from the 1986 Rock Gala.
  • Sir Elton John joked in reply that he is 'still sitting now, though', prompting laughs from the king.
  • King Charles joked that there are 'occasional bits dropping off here and there', a terrible problem as people get older.
  • King Charles said appearing on Rocket Hour was an opportunity too good to resist and a most enjoyable and nostalgic journey through half a century's musical high spots.
  • King Charles called Phil Collins a tremendous supporter of The King's Trust and said he could not be more pleased for him.
  • King Charles called 'All You Need Is Love' a totally timeless song with a timeless message, saying nothing is more meaningful than love.

Timeline newest first

  1. King Charles joined Sir Elton John for a special Rocket Hour on Apple Music, first broadcast on Saturday to coincide with the monarch's 78th birthday.
  2. The special Rocket Hour episode celebrated 50 years of The King's Trust and the musicians who have supported the youth charity.
  3. King Charles and Sir Elton John discussed benefit concerts for The King's Trust, including a 1986 Rock Gala at Wembley Arena where Elton John performed 'I'm Still Standing'.
  4. King Charles and Sir Elton John recorded the special Rocket Hour episode in the month before broadcast at the Apple Music studios in Battersea power station in south London.
  5. King Charles recalled that a small 1994 grant from his trust helped the Rocket Baby Dolls buy audio equipment before they became the stadium band Muse.
  6. King Charles chose 'All You Need Is Love' as his most meaningful song, recalling the Party at the Palace performance for his late mother's Golden Jubilee.
  7. Sir Elton John chose Elvis Presley's 'Hound Dog', saying hearing the record through his mother set him on the road to his career.
  8. The special Rocket Hour episode was aired free on Apple Music 1 across Saturday and Sunday and then made available to download on Apple Music.

Sources newest first

  • 'We're still standing': King Charles jokes with Elton John in birthday clipabc.net.au· 9h

    A Reuters article reports that King Charles joined Sir Elton John for a special Rocket Hour on Apple Music marking the monarch's 78th birthday and 50 years of The King's Trust, joking that both are "still standing". Charles founded the charity in 1976 as the Prince's Trust, renamed in 2022, and is still receiving cancer treatment.

  • ‘Still standing’: king jokes as he appears on Elton John’s Rocket Hourtheguardian.com· 11h

    King Charles marks his 78th birthday and the King's Trust's 50th anniversary on Elton John's Rocket Hour, joking that the two are "still standing" while Elton John replies that he is still sitting. His playlist spans 'I'm Still Standing', Calvin Harris's 'Giant', Phil Collins's 'In the Air Tonight' as a tribute, and the Beatles' 'All You Need Is Love', and Elton John credits hearing Elvis Presley's 'Hound Dog' through his mother with setting his career in motion.