King Charles III marked his 78th birthday with a special appearance on Elton John’s Apple Music radio program, “Rocket Hour,” where the longtime friends traded jokes about growing older and looked back on their decades-long relationship.
The king, who turned 78 on Saturday, joined the music legend for a prerecorded episode commemorating the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust, the charity Charles established in 1976 to help young people.
During the conversation, Charles recalled John’s performance of “I’m Still Standing” at a 1986 concert celebrating the charity’s 10th anniversary.
“I know people in all kinds of circumstances find this song inspiring, not only for its marvellous spirit, but also its message of resilience,” Charles said. “And certainly 40 years on from that remarkable concert, we and the Trust are definitely still standing.”
John answered with a quip of his own: “I’m still sitting now, though.”
The remark drew laughter from Charles and led to a playful exchange about the realities of aging.
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“With occasional bits dropping off here and there,” the king joked. “I know this is a terrible problem as we get older.”
The conversation comes as both men have dealt with health challenges in recent years. Charles has been undergoing cancer treatment, while John has publicly discussed problems affecting his eyesight.
Charles said the chance to appear on John’s radio program was “an opportunity too good to resist.”
The Royal Family’s official Instagram account also celebrated the king’s birthday with a message promoting the special episode.
“Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King!” the post said, urging followers to listen to John’s show on Apple Music.
John added his own birthday greeting in the comments: “Happy Birthday to His Majesty!”
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