King Charles III Joins Elton John for ‘Rocket Hour With His Majesty The King’ Special on Apple Music

Elton John will speak with Britain’s King Charles III on a special episode of his Apple Music show Rocket Hour on Saturday, Nov. 14. The episode will celebrate music’s role in the work of The King’s Trust as the charity marks its 50th anniversary.

“We are so proud of our 11-year-plus relationship with Sir Elton and his Rocket Hour show,” Apple Music co-head Rachel Newman said in a statement. “And the chance to build on our creative partnership with His Majesty King Charles III by hosting this extraordinary collaboration in our new Apple Music studios in Battersea. Especially as it helps mark such a landmark anniversary for The King’s Trust — a charity Apple continues to support in meaningful ways.”

The king joined John at the new Apple Radio studio in London in early October, before the launch of Apple x King’s Trust Creative Labs. The series of specialized workshops aims to give young people technology, resources and in-demand industry skills to help them enter the workplace.

In the hourlong episode, Charles and John share memories of performances supporting The King’s Trust and discuss artists the charity helped early in their careers. Muse received a grant from the then Prince’s Trust to buy sound equipment and later played a sold-out show at Royal Albert Hall in 2018 in support of the Trust.

“Music has always been at the heart of The Prince’s, and now The King’s Trust,” the king said in a statement about the program, which will air on his 78th birthday. “So when I was asked whether I would like to showcase a selection of music from among the many talented performers who have so generously supported us over the years, together with some of the newer artists The Trust has helped to launch, it was an opportunity too good to resist.”

The songs John and Charles listen to include Muse’s “Feeling Good,” Skye Newman’s “Hairdresser” and Nectar Woode’s “Wine Into Water.”

John has a long connection to the Trust. He performed at several Prince’s Trust Rock Gala concerts at Wembley Stadium in the 1980s and donated a pair of his signature rose-tinted glasses to raise funds at the charity’s 50th anniversary auction in May of this year.

Charles, then the Prince of Wales, presented John with the Order of the Companions of Honour at Windsor Castle in 2021 for his work in music and charity. John became a knight in February 1988, when Queen Elizabeth II dubbed him a Knight Bachelor at Buckingham Palace.

“Championing young people is something I know you’ve always loved to do in your life anyway, but for the arts and music it’s really important,” John says on the show about the Trust’s work over the past half century. The pair also discuss memories of past gala concerts and musical success stories from the Trust’s 50 years. John shares a playlist of personal favorites, golden oldies and new releases from this year.

Charles previously partnered with Apple on The King’s Music Room, a special radio show released in March 2025 to mark that year’s Commonwealth Day.

The full Rocket Hour episode will premiere at 9 a.m. GMT (4 a.m. ET) Saturday on Apple Music 1. It will also be available to hear for free on Apple Music 1 and Apple Music Hits throughout Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15.

Source: Billboard