King Charles Jokes About Ageing With Elton John in Candid Exchange: ‘Bits Dropping Off’

King Charles joked about the effects of ageing with Elton John during a candid exchange on the singer’s Apple Music radio show, Rocket Hour, saying there were “occasional bits dropping off here and there” as they discussed growing older.

The conversation took place during a special episode marking the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust. The program aired on Nov. 14, the King’s 78th birthday, and was recorded last month at Apple Music’s studios in Battersea Power Station in south London. The exchange followed a discussion about John performing his hit “I’m Still Standing” at a Rock Gala in 1986 to mark the trust’s 10th anniversary.

Charles said no one present could possibly have forgotten the performance, adding, “Certainly, 40 years on from that remarkable concert, we and the trust are definitely still standing.” John, 79, laughed and quipped, “I’m still sitting now, though,” prompting the king to respond: “With occasional bits dropping off here and there. I know this is a terrible problem as we get older.”

King Charles Marks 50 Years of The King’s Trust

Charles established the charity as the Prince’s Trust in 1976, using his Royal Navy severance pay to help young people facing difficulties entering employment. It was renamed The King’s Trust after he became monarch in 2022. The organization says it has supported more than one million young people since its founding. Its work focuses on helping young people develop skills, access employment opportunities and establish businesses.

Charles described his appearance on John’s program as “an opportunity too good to resist” and called it “the most enjoyable and nostalgic journey through some of the many musical high spots of the last half-century.”

King Charles Revisits Musical Memories With Elton John

Charles’ playlist featured songs by artists associated with the trust and moments from its history. Charles chose Calvin Harris and Rag’n’Bone Man’s 2019 track “Giant,” referring to “the spirit of that well-known saying about standing on the shoulders of giants.”

He also selected Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” as a tribute to the musician, a longtime supporter of the trust who was being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on the same day. “I could not be more pleased for him,” Charles said, also noting that Collins’ daughter, actor Lily Collins, is herself a trust supporter.

Another selection was Muse’s cover of “Feeling Good.” Charles recalled that in 1994, the group, then known as Rocket Baby Dolls, received a small grant from the trust to buy audio equipment. The band later became Muse, one of the world’s biggest stadium acts.

Charles chose the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” He recalled a performance of the song at Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee concert in 2002, saying: “I shall never forget the magic of witnessing a simply unforgettable performance… with Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart and Joe Cocker, and I think with Phil Collins on drums, Brian May and Eric Clapton on guitar and an all-star backing choir. It really is a totally timeless song with a timeless message.”

John selected Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” recalling that his mother came home one Friday with the record and told him she had never heard anything like it before. “It set me on my road to my career,” John said, “because from that point on, that’s all I wanted to do was to play that kind of music.”