Music the Royal Family Loves: Coldplay, Ellie Goulding and More

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Music the Royal Family Loves: Coldplay, Ellie Goulding and More

While it’s unlikely that the royals have a Spotify Family plan, Prince Harry, Prince William and their relatives have disclosed their music tastes in the past. "I used to play the piano, trumpet and drums when I was your age but I couldn't read music. There's only so much you can remember from the top of your head,” William told students at Goole High School in East Yorkshire, England, in June 2014. “I really like Coldplay, Linkin Park." Harry, for his part, loves the English electronic music producer Skream. "We got invited up to Buckingham Palace to watch Goldie's band in action. While we were there, we met Prince Harry,” Skream’s Magnetic Man bandmate Artwork told The Sun in October 2010. “He was well excited when he was introduced to Skream — he put his hand out and said, 'Hello Skream, nice one!' Harry obviously knew who he was before he met him." [jwplayer 7bgDAY43-l3ahXupL] When it came time for the two princes to plan their respective weddings, royal enthusiasts learned more about their favorite musicians. William and Princess Kate, for example, had Ellie Goulding take the stage at their April 2011 wedding reception. “I mean, talking about scary … I was so nervous that my hands were shaking like this,” the singer recalled to Vanity Fair in 2016. “That was one of my memories, I remember looking down and just seeing this. Chris, my pianist, I looked over at him and he looks at me like ‘literally, you have just s—tied yourself. I know it in your face that you’ve just literally pooed yourself.’” Goulding added that she thought she was a “decoy” for someone more famous than her. “I thought it could happen. Because at the time [Lady] Gaga was everywhere and rightly so, she was killing it. And Beyoncé and Jay-Z and then … Me,” she admitted. Harry and Meghan Markle, meanwhile, had family friend Elton John sing at their May 2018 nuptials. “Prince Harry asked Sir Elton to perform at the Reception, which was hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle,” Kensington Palace confirmed in a statement at the time. “Sir Elton performed for the newly married couple in recognition of the close connection he has with Prince Harry and his family.” Scroll through for more:

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Coldplay

William revealed in 2014 that he loves Coldplay. Two years later, Harry joined Chris Martin on stage at a Kensington Palace charity concert.

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Linkin Park

The Duke of Cambridge told students at Goole High School in East Yorkshire, England, that he “really” likes Linkin Park in 2014.

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Skream

Skream’s bandmate Artwork told The Sun in 2010 that Harry introduced himself as a fan during a visit to the palace.

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Gary Barlow

The English singer performed at Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Barlow documented his journey creating an official single for the jubilee in a June 2012 documentary Gary Barlow: On Her Majesty's Service.

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Leonard Cohen

Prince Charles revealed during a BBC radio interview in 2018 that Cohen’s music moves him.

“I’ve always loved Leonard Cohen’s voice and his whole approach to the way he sang,” he said. “He was obviously incredibly sophisticated in the way he sang, but also wrote. I find it very moving, the words are so extraordinary, sort of Salvador Dalí-like, they lead you into this remarkable Dalí-like world.”

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The Beatles

After the queen knighted Paul McCartney in March 1997, William was the one to knight Ringo Starr in March 2018.

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Ellie Goulding

The “Anything Can Happen” songstress performed at William and Kate's royal wedding in April 2011.

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Elton John

In addition to being close friends with Princess Diana, John performed at Harry and Meghan’s May 2018 wedding.

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Crystal Fighters

Crystal Fighters’ “LA Calling” was included on a playlist the Suits alum shared on her since-deleted blog, The Tig, in February 2017.

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Maggie Rogers

“Turn these tracks on as you're getting ready in the morning, when you need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or during your next evening celebration,” Meghan wrote alongside the playlist, which included Rodgers’ “Dog Years.”

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Janelle Monáe

Meghan also include Monáe’s track “Dance Apocalyptic.” She wrote on The Tig: “Because when the air is filled with positive vibes, there’s no winter cold that can block out the warmth of happy hearts.”

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ABBA

The Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly a big fan of the Swedish pop supergroup.

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Shakira

William revealed his kids love Shakira‘s “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” song.

“Most mornings there’s a massive fight between Charlotte and George as to what song is played in the morning,” the Prince of Wales shared on the “Time to Walk” season 2 finale in December 2021. “And I have to, now, basically prioritize that one day someone does this one, and another day it’s someone else’s turn. So George gets his go, then Charlotte gets her go. Such is the, the clamor for the music."

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AC/DC

The Royal Air Force veteran also included a personal favorite during his December 2021 episode of “Time to Walk": AC/DC‘s “Thunderstruck.” The royal said it helps him start his Monday mornings off right.

“There’s nothing better, when you’re a bit bleary-eyed after the weekend and trying to get yourself back into the grind of the week, than listening to Thunderstruck,” he said. “It absolutely wakes you up, puts your week in the best mood possible, and you feel like you can take on anything and anyone. … It’s a difficult song not to dance to or to nod along to.”

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Tina Turner

During the December 2021 Apple podcast, William revealed Princess Diana loved "Simply the Best."

“One of the songs I massively remember and has stuck with me all this time, and I to this day still quite enjoy secretly, is Tina Turner’s 'The Best,' because sitting in the back seat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment,” the prince said. “My mother, she’d be driving along singing at the top of her voice.”