Two weeks ago, a Chris Evans quote from 2008 resurfaced, claiming the Queen’s favourite song was ABBA‘s ‘Dancing Queen’, and sending Royalists into a minor meltdown. We’ve since learned the Queen’s official 10 favourite songs, but what about the other royals? Well, here’s some of the musicians they’re known to favour…
Prince Charles – Leonard Cohen
A surprising favourite of Prince Charles’ is the late Leonard Cohen. A few years ago Charles said: “The orchestration is fantastic and the lyrics and everything – he’s a remarkable man. He has this incredibly laid-back, gravelly voice.” Hallelujah and amen to that.
The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge – Ellie Goulding
It’s pretty common knowledge that the couple some refer to as ‘Kate and Wills’ asked Ellie Goulding to play at their wedding in 2011.
Princess Diana – Duran Duran
At Diana’s memorial concert in 2006, where Duran Duran were performing, Simon LeBon said: “We are honoured that she always referred to Duran Duran as her favourite band as she was certainly our favourite princess.”
Prince Harry – Skream
Dubstep guru Skream is one of the few musicians Harry is known to like. In 2010 Skream’s Magnetic Man bandmate said: “We got invited up to Buckingham Palace to watch Goldie’s band in action. While we were there, we met Prince Harry: He was well excited when he was introduced to Skream, he put his hand out and said: ‘Hello Skream, nice one!’ Harry obviously knew who he was before he met him.”
Queen Elizabeth II – Fred Astaire
Astaire was one of several names on an official list of the Queen’s favourite songs published as part of her 90th birthday celebrations in 2016. Also on the list was Vera Lynn’s ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’, George Formby’s ‘Leaning on a Lamp-Post’ and the hymn ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’. What a tune.
Prince George – Coldplay
When George was a baby, it was reported by a royal insider that Prince William would ‘belt out’ Coldplay songs to get him to go back to sleep: “Prince William is using a bizarre tactic of belting out Coldplay anthems at all hours of the night even though he can barely hold a note. It’s even keeping Kate’s parents awake. His favourite song is ‘Paradise’ and he also loves doing ‘Yellow’. Coldplay aren’t even his favourite band, but George responds to their songs the most and settles back down.”
Prince Andrew – will.i.am
In 2014 it was revealed by the Duke of York that he had some Will.i.am songs on his iPod because his daughter Eugenie had put them on his playlists. “He’s a major inspiration to a lot of young people from all sorts of backgrounds,” he said, “not just because he’s famous but he actually has something many others don’t have, which is that he cares about giving back to his community. I have seen him do it – and it only takes about a sentence from him to change somebody’s life.”
Prince Andrew clarified his music taste thus: “I have a very eclectic listening habit. I have classical and, as it were, more modern music. I listen to it sometimes in the car, though mostly when I’m exercising. I have not been to Will.i.am’s studio or jammed with him. Not yet anyway.” Anything could happen, Andrew…
Which royal do you reckon has the best music taste? Let us know in the comments.