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Prince William Just Shared the One Thing About King Charles That ‘Surprised’ Him—and I Didn’t See It Coming

Who would have known?

Prince William King Charles Playlist
Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images

We’re well into 2025, which means Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay are both far behind us and still months away. If you’re not familiar, these annual roundups break down your listening habits, revealing your most-played songs, artists, genres and more. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably wondered what a celeb’s—or even a royal’s—music recap might look like.

Well, wonder no more. Back in March, King Charles gave us a rare peek into his musical taste with a public playlist—and if it caught you off guard, you're not alone. Even Prince William was a little surprised. During a visit to Mentivity House, a youth center in South London, he shared his honest reaction to his father’s playlist, "The King’s Music Room."

“I was expecting a lot of classical music, so I was surprised,” he said, according to Hello!. And honestly, same.

King Charles and Prince William
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The King’s 16-track playlist is anything but stuffy. It features an unexpectedly eclectic lineup—think Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé and Jools Holland. Safe to say, it’s not the all-orchestral setlist some might have predicted from the monarch.

When someone at the event jokingly asked if Charles had snuck in some “Garage or UK Funky” tracks, William grinned and replied, “I’m not sure he’d know what that was.”

King Charles's playlist was released on March 10 on Commonwealth Day and along with it came a heartfelt message from the King himself.

“Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me,” he shared in a video. “It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back… to comfort us in times of sadness… and to take us to distant places.”

He added, “But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits… it brings us joy.”

"The King’s Music Room" is still streaming on Apple Music—and yes, it’s surprisingly solid.

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