Arabic version: الملك تشارلز وإلتون جون يحتفلان بذكرى تأسيس المؤسسة
According to ABC News, King Charles joined Sir Elton John for a special edition of Elton John’s Rocket Hour on Apple Music, broadcast on the monarch’s 78th birthday. The programme celebrated 50 years of The King’s Trust and the musicians who have supported the youth charity.
The pair discussed benefit concerts for the Trust, including a 1986 Rock Gala at Wembley Arena where Sir Elton performed his 1980s hit, I’m Still Standing. King Charles said the song inspired people through its spirit and message of resilience, adding that 40 years after the concert, “we and the Trust are definitely still standing.”
Sir Elton, who turns 80 in March, replied: “I’m still sitting now, though.” King Charles responded, “With occasional bits dropping off here and there,” before adding that getting older could bring such problems. The king is still undergoing cancer treatment, while Sir Elton has suffered eyesight problems in recent years.
Charles founded the Prince’s Trust in 1976, using his Royal Navy severance pay to help disadvantaged young people prepare for work, find jobs or start businesses. The organisation was renamed The King’s Trust after he became king in 2022, and says it has supported more than one million young people. The programme also recalled Muse receiving a grant for sound equipment when the band performed as Rocket Baby Dolls; it later staged a sold-out Royal Albert Hall concert for the Trust in 2018.
