# King Charles jokes with Elton John on Rocket Hour

> Charles marks his 78th birthday and the King's Trust's 50th anniversary with a special podcast episode featuring a curated playlist.
- Title: King Charles jokes with Elton John on Rocket Hour | Shortify
- Summary: Charles marks his 78th birthday and the King's Trust's 50th anniversary with a special podcast episode featuring a curated playlist.
- Keywords: king charles iii, elton john, rocket hour, king's trust, apple music, podcast, birthday, the Guardian
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/nov/14/king-charles-elton-john-rocket-hour
- Published: 2026-11-14T10:00:41+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: king charles iii, elton john, rocket hour, king's trust, apple music, podcast, birthday, news, world
## King and singer mark milestone together
King Charles marked his seventy-eighth birthday on Saturday by appearing on Elton John's Rocket Hour podcast to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his King's Trust charity.
## Still standing after forty years
Charles joked with John, seventy-nine, that they were still standing, referencing John's performance of I'm Still Standing at a Rock Gala in nineteen eighty-six marking the trust's tenth anniversary.

> we and the trust are definitely still standing
## Charles reflects on aging with humour
When John joked he was still sitting, Charles replied that with occasional bits dropping off as people get older, it was a terrible problem they both faced.

> With occasional bits dropping off here and there
## A playlist spanning fifty years
The special episode featured tracks from musicians associated with the trust over its half-century, including Muse, Calvin Harris and Rag'n'Bone Man, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and the Beatles.
## Charles honours Phil Collins' induction
Charles chose In the Air Tonight to honour Phil Collins, a tremendous trust supporter being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on Saturday.
## Muse's path from grant to stadium band
Charles recalled how a group then known as the Rocket Baby Dolls received a small grant from his trust in nineteen ninety-four to buy audio equipment, later becoming Muse, one of the biggest stadium bands.
## All You Need Is Love and memory
Charles chose the Beatles' All You Need Is Love as extremely meaningful, recalling an unforgettable performance at the Party at the Palace concert for his late mother's Golden Jubilee with Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart and…

> there can surely be nothing more meaningful than love
## Elton John's Elvis revelation
John revealed his mother bought a record every Friday and came home with Elvis Presley's Hound Dog, saying he had never heard anything like it and it set him on his road to his career.

> I've never heard anything like it before
## Podcast airs this weekend on Apple Music
The episode, recorded last month at Apple Music studios in Battersea power station in south London, airs Saturday at five pm and ten pm, Sunday at two am and six am, and both days at…
## Key takeaway

King Charles appeared on Elton John's Rocket Hour podcast to celebrate his 78th birthday and the 50th anniversary of his King's Trust charity, sharing a playlist of songs meaningful to the organisation.