William says Princess Diana would belt out Tina Turner 'at top of her voice'

17 September 2023 , 07:56

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Princess Diana was keen to sing along with her two sons on their back-to-school drive (Image: Getty Images)

Prince William has revealed his mother Princess Diana would ease back-to-school nerves by singing "at the top of her voice" on their morning drive.

The late Princess of Wales' favourite tunes included songs from Tina Turner, with Prince William opening up on the firm favourite for the family when heading back to school. Speaking on an episode of AppleFitness+'s Time to Walk podcast back in December 2021, the Prince of Wales opened up about his childhood and the music-filled trips to school. One in particular stood out, a song the future King of England described as "massively" remembering, the late Tina Turner's "The Best".

Princess Diana was keen on Tina Turner's track, 'The Best' (Getty Images)

Speaking at the time, Prince William said: "When I was younger, Harry and I, we were at boarding school. And my mother used to play all sorts of songs to kind of while away the anxiety of going back to school. And one of the songs I massively remember and has stuck with me all this time, and I still, to this day, still quite enjoy secretly, is Tina Turner's 'The Best' because sitting in the backseat, singing away, it felt like a real family moment.

"And my mother, she'd be driving along, singing at the top of her voice. And we'd even get the policeman in the car, he'd be occasionally singing along, as well. You'd be singing and listening to the music right the way out into the gates of school, when they dropped you off. And, and that's when reality kind of sunk in that you really were going back to school because before that, you're lost in songs."

The Prince of Wales credited the musical flourish of his school days with being a core memory which takes him back to hearing his mother sing. He added: "You'll want to play it again just to keep that family moment going. When I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother."

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Prince William spoke fondly of his back-to-school car rides and does something similar for his own children (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

In turn, Prince William's children are enjoying their own musical moments. The Prince revealed Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, all had a "clamour" for music. The trio were said to have a rota for whose music was listened to in the drive to and from school. Prince William said: "Most mornings there's a massive fight between Charlotte and George as to what song is played in the morning. 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 clamour for the music."

With plenty of music to go around for the three young royals, some favourite tracks were revealed by the Prince of Wales. He says "Waka Waka" by Shakira and "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC were firm favourites for the car journey. The Prince of Wales said: "There's nothing better than, on a Monday morning, when you're a bit bleary-eyed after the weekend and trying to get yourself back into the grind of the week, listening to AC/DC, 'Thunderstruck'.

"I have to say the first time I put it on, and I've heard it a million times now, I was kind of like, 'Well, this is quite heavy for a Monday morning.' But now, when I listen to it, it's the best tonic for a Monday morning. It absolutely wakes you up, puts your week in the best mood possible, and you feel like you can take on anything and anyone. I'd imagine you're going to walk quite fast listening to it, maybe with a skip in your step, with the head-banging. It's a difficult song not to dance to or to nod along to."

Ewan Gleadow