Prince William opened up about how he and his brother, Prince Harry, used to rock out to Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’ during back-to-school drives, with the spotlight on the vivacious Princess Diana.
The future king, William, has been working towards making the monarchy more relatable by sharing heartwarming memories of his mother. These recollections aimed to soothe the boys’ nerves as they headed back to boarding school. “It truly felt like a genuine family moment. My mother would be driving and belting out the song at the top of her lungs,” he recounted. Keep reading to discover more about the musical preferences of the future king and his go-to “pick-me-up for a Monday morning.”
In December 2021, Prince William took the audience of Apple’s Time to Walk series on a virtual tour through Sandringham Estate, one of the royal residences belonging to his father, King Charles.
As he strolled through the grounds and shared his memories, William also talked about the songs that hold a special place in his heart, triggering cherished moments from his childhood all the way to the present. One such memorable childhood moment involved his mother, Princess Diana, and the song she played to ease the back-to-school jitters of him and Prince Harry.
That particular song was the late Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’, a tune that he still holds dear as a way to keep his mother’s memory alive.
“When I was younger, Harry and I were at boarding school. My mother would play various songs to help us get through the anxiety of going back. One song that has always stuck with me and that I still secretly enjoy is Tina Turner’s ‘The Best’. Sitting in the backseat, singing along, it really felt like a proper family moment,” Prince William said.
And Princess Diana, leading the sing-along, would join in with gusto.
“My mother would be driving and singing at the top of her voice. Even the policeman in the car would sometimes chime in,” William added.
The future king further noted: “You’d be singing and enjoying the music all the way until you reached the school gates when they dropped you off. That’s when the reality of going back to school hit, because before that, you were lost in the music. You’d want to play it again just to hold onto that family feeling.”
“When I listen to it now, it transports me back to those car rides and brings back a flood of memories of my mother.”
Taking those precious memories and incorporating them into his own parenting style, William revealed that he now creates special musical moments with his own children, Prince George, who is 10, eight-year-old Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who will turn six on April 23.
“Most mornings, there’s a big argument between Charlotte and George about which song to play. Now, I basically have to work out a system where one day it’s someone’s turn, and the next day it’s another’s. So George gets his chance, then Charlotte gets hers. That’s how much they love their music,” the royal said.
The Prince also mentioned that one of the songs his children were fond of at the time was Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’.
For his third song choice, William picked AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’, stating that it’s a great song to get you energized.
He shared: “There’s nothing better than, on a Monday morning, when you’re a bit groggy after the weekend and trying to get back into the swing of the week, listening to AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’.
William continued: “I have to admit, the first time I played it, and I’ve heard it countless times now, I thought, ‘This is a bit intense for a Monday morning.’ But now, when I listen to it, it’s the perfect boost for a Monday.
“It definitely wakes you up, puts you in the best possible mood for the week, and makes you feel like you can conquer anything and anyone.
“I can imagine you’d be walking briskly while listening to it, maybe with a little skip in your step and nodding your head. It’s a song that’s hard not to dance or nod along to.”
The sweet memories of Tina Turner that Prince William shared are truly “simply the best!”
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