King shares playlist for Commonwealth Day radio show – and reveals the Kylie Minogue song that brings him joy
Just call him the dancing King… King Charles has shared a playlist of songs that bring him joy – and ones that have made it “incredibly hard to sit still” – to mark this year’s Commonwealth Day.
The monarch has turned DJ for a one-off radio programme, with disco, reggae and Afrobeats all making the cut.
In the collaboration with Apple, the King takes to the mic to talk about his personal memories of meeting some of the world’s biggest music stars.
Recording the broadcast in his office at Buckingham Palace, he reveals his chosen songs from the likes of Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue, Grace Jones and contemporary artists Davido and Raye.
But it’s the regular references to his love of a good dance that stand out.
Introducing one of Kylie’s biggest hits, King Charles says: “The song is The Loco-Motion, and this is music for dancing. Again, it has that infectious energy which makes it, I find, incredibly hard to sit still!”
Kylie released her version of the 60s pop classic in 1987. Pic: Reuters
A couple of stars from outside of the Commonwealth also make the cut; Beyonce, as a supporter of his King’s Trust charity, and Diana Ross because the monarch is clearly a fan.
Talking about her song Upside Down, he says: “This very last song is one of my particular favourites… and when I was much younger, it was absolutely impossible not to get up and dance when it was played! So, I wonder if I can still just manage it…?!”
The decision to do the broadcast has surprised some, but the King agreed as a way of connecting with a younger, more diverse audience as he prepares to head to Westminster Abbey later to mark Commonwealth Day.
London singer Raye also gets a name-check by the monarch
Diana Ross’s infectious Upside Down is another favourite. Pic: Reuters
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Errollyn Wallen, master of the King’s music, said: “You can see His Majesty’s wide-ranging enthusiasm for music in this playlist to mark Commonwealth Day.
“The Commonwealth has produced more than its fair share of wonderful songs, singers, and musicians, and this fun and eclectic collection is a great reminder of this treasure trove of creativity.”
It’s probably fair to say the King had a bit of guidance on choosing the tracks.
I’m told he spoke to friends who “know their music”, but that he did sit down one day in Sandringham and listened to the songs on the long list to give the final sign off.
Just imagine being a fly on the wall for that.
UK drivers are “confused” by the country’s electric car transition, ministers are being warned.
Although most drivers are not hostile towards electric vehicles (EVs), many are confused about what changes are coming and when, according to new research from the AA.
In a survey of more than 14,000 AA members, 7% thought the government was banning the sale of used petrol and diesel cars.
Around a third thought manual EVs exist, despite them all being automatic.
More than one in five said they would never buy an EV.
The government’s plan for increasing the number of electric vehicles being driven in the UK focuses heavily on increasing the supply of the vehicles.
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What you can do to reach net zero
In 2024, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK had to be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.
Each year, those percentages will rise, reaching 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans in 2030.
Manufacturers will face fines of £15,000 per vehicle if electric vehicle sales fall short of 28% of total production this year.
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By 2035, all new cars and vans will be required to be fully zero emission, according to the Department for Transport.
Second-hand diesel and petrol cars will still be allowed to be sold after this date, and their fuel will still be available.
There are more EVs – but will people buy them?
In February, 25% of new cars were powered purely by battery and in January, they made up 21% of all new cars registered in the UK.
But despite the growth of electric sales, manufacturers continue to warn that the market will not support the growth required to hit government EV targets, and called for consumer incentives and the extension of tax breaks.
The AA suggested the government’s plan focuses on “supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs”.
It called on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs.
“Our message to government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone,” said Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive.
Which? head of consumer rights Sue Davis said: “When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty.
“The government needs to provide the right information on electric vehicles and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We’re investing over £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs.
“This includes installing a public charge point every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100% first-year allowances for zero-emission cars for another year.
“Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under £20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than £30,000.
“We’re seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.”
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