Here Is Every Song On The King’s Playlist

His Majesty King Charles III has made history as the first monarch to host a radio show (ignoring all of the pre-TV Christmas radio broadcasts, of course). In The King’s Music Room – recorded at Buckingham Palace and broadcast on Apple Music 1 this morning – Charles gave an exclusive insight into his music taste which, it turns out, spans 1930s crooners to Afrobeats.

The King’s Music Room: What To Expect From Charles’ Radio Broadcast

The King’s Music Room was created in collaboration with Apple Music to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday 10 March 2025. Described as ‘a musical journey that reflects His Majesty’s personal taste’, the special broadcast features discussion from Charles about his journeys around the world, anecdotes and encounters with some of the musicians featured, and insight into why his chosen songs soundtrack his life, all spliced with the songs in question.

‘Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me,’ Charles says in the broadcast. ‘I know that is also the case for so many others. It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory, to comfort us in times of sadness, and to take us to distant places.

‘But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration. In other words, it brings us joy,’ the King says.

Watch the trailer below.

‘Human curation has always been a key pillar of our unique editorial approach,’ Apple Music’s global head of content Rachel Newman says on the collaboration. ‘Apple Music Radio is where culture is happening worldwide, and we are honoured that King Charles III chose to share his personal playlist with us, and with music fans around the world.’

How would one describe the King’s music taste? ‘Fun and eclectic,’ says Errollyn Wallen CBE, master of The King’s Music Room. ‘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.’

So which musicians made it onto his list? Here’s what we know.

What’s On King Charles’ Playlist?

We were previously told Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue, Grace Jones, Davido and Raye would feature on King Charles’ playlist – but the full 17-song-strong playlist is packed with even more iconic artists. Think Michael Buble, Jools Holland and Diana Ross whose ‘Upside Down’ closed the show, with the King describing it as a ‘particular favourite’ that’s ‘absolutely impossible not to get up and dance’ to, especially in his youth.

Here’s King Charles’ playlist in full:

• Bob Marley & The Wailers – ‘Could You Be Loved’
• Millie Small – ‘My Boy Lollipop’
• Kylie Minogue – ‘The Loco-Motion’
• Al Bowlly – ‘The Very Thought of You’
• Grace Jones – ‘La Vie En Rose’
• Raye – ‘Love Me Again’
• Daddy Lumba – ‘Mpempem Do Me’
• Davido – ‘Kante’ (ft. Fave)
• Miriam Makeba – ‘The Click Song’
• Jools Holland & Ruby Turner – ‘My Country Man’
• Anoushka Shankar – ‘Indian Summer’
• Siti Nurhaliza – ‘Anta Permana’
• Dame Kiri Te Kanawa – ‘E Te Iwi E (Call to the People)’
• Michael Buble – ‘Haven’t Met You Yet’
• Arrow – ‘Hot Hot Hot’
• Beyonce – ‘Crazy in Love’ (ft. Jay Z)
• Diana Ross – ‘Upside Down’

The King’s playlist blends older tracks with more contemporary works – but his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was fond of even older music. Her top tracks throughout her life included ‘Oklahoma’ and ‘Anything You Can Do’, as well as George Formby’s ‘Leaning On A Lamp-Post’ – though she never ratified this in a radio show.

If heir-to-the-throne Prince William had any input, there would have been more 00s beats. The Prince of Wales is known to favour dance tracks, Linkin Park and Coldplay, comprising ‘a bit of everything’. We also know the Prince is a Taylor Swift fan after he was spotted shaking it off at the Eras Tour last year with his children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

What Is The King’s Music Room?

Aside from the name of his Apple Radio broadcast, the King’s Music Room is one of the state rooms in Buckingham Palace, coincidentally where Prince Charles was christened in 1948. That said, the broadcast wasn’t actually recorded here; Charles recorded the show in his Buckingham Palace office, instead.

How To Listen To The King’s Music Room

The King’s Music Room was broadcast live on Apple Music 1 on Monday 10 March 2025 from 6am. If you’d like to catch up, you need an Apple Music subscription to listen on demand.

Will There Be Another Episode?

Some publications are describing The King’s Music Room as a ‘one off’, but there’s no confirmation either way just yet. If the broadcast is successful, perhaps Charles will team up with Apple Music again for next year’s Commonwealth Day on Monday 9 March 2026.

What Is Commonwealth Day?

Observed on the second Monday of March and previously known as Empire Day, Commonwealth Day is all about celebrating the heritage of the Commonwealth through speeches, flag-raising ceremonies and education. As the British monarch, King Charles is also Head of the Commonwealth, meaning he will deliver a special address on Monday – in addition to his radio broadcast.