King Charles will spend his 78th birthday on the radio as a guest on Sir Elton John’s Apple Music show, Rocket Hour.
The special episode will premiere on Apple Music 1 at 9am GMT (1pm UAE time) on Saturday, 14 November 2026. It marks 50 years of The King’s Trust. The pair look back at the concerts that raised money for it, from the Wembley Arena Rock Galas of the 1980s to the Royal Albert Hall.
According to the Royal Household’s announcement, the hour also highlights artists the Trust helped early on. Muse received a grant from the then Prince’s Trust to buy sound equipment when the band was still called Rocket Baby Dolls. In 2018, they staged a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall in support of the Trust. The playlist includes tracks by Raye and Skye Newman, with songs spanning the Trust’s early days to this year’s new releases.
Music has always been at the heart of The Prince’s, and now The King’s Trust. 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.
King Charles
The King recorded the conversation in October, when he visited Apple’s new studios in Battersea, London. He was there ahead of the launch of the Apple x King’s Trust Creative Labs, a series of workshops that give young people technology, resources, and in-demand industry skills. It’s the first episode recorded at the new studios. Elton John said, “If you champion a young artist and show you believe in them, it makes all the difference. That’s the greatest thing you can do.”
When to listen
Royal.uk lists free repeats on Apple Music 1 and Apple Music Hits. MacDailyNews says the special is free on Apple Music 1 and will then be available on demand. According to 9to5Mac, Apple Music itself requires a subscription.
| Date | Time (GMT) | UAE time | Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 14 November | 9am (premiere) | 1pm | Apple Music 1 |
| Saturday, 14 November | 5pm | 9pm | Apple Music 1 |
| Saturday, 14 November | 10pm | 2am Sunday | Apple Music 1 |
| Sunday, 15 November | 2am | 6am | Apple Music 1 |
| Sunday, 15 November | 6am | 10am | Apple Music 1 |
| Sunday, 15 November | 10am | 2pm | Apple Music 1 and Apple Music Hits |
| Sunday, 15 November | 2pm | 6pm | Apple Music 1 and Apple Music Hits |
Charles founded the Prince’s Trust in 1976 with his Royal Navy severance pay, to help disadvantaged young people prepare for work, find jobs, or start businesses. Reuters reports it was renamed after he became king, and the charity says it has supported more than 1 million young people. Elton John has a long history with the Trust. He played the Rock Galas in the 1980s, and in 2021 he received the Order of the Companions of Honour from Charles, then Prince of Wales, at Windsor Castle. He also gave his rose-tinted glasses to the Trust’s 50th anniversary auction in May 2026.
It isn’t the King’s first Apple Music programme. In March 2025, he chose tracks by artists from across the Commonwealth for The King’s Music Room, recorded at Buckingham Palace for Commonwealth Day. According to 9to5Mac, Rocket Hour has run since July 2015 and has more than 470 episodes. Its past guests include Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Noel Gallagher, and Chappell Roan; on Saturday, a king joins them.
