King Charles plays ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ on a carrot at Windsor Castle

4 April 2025, 12:20

Bravo to the London Vegetable Orchestra, for persuading His Majesty to revive his musical past…

His Majesty the King, who is a former cellist, met the London Vegetable Orchestra at a reception at Windsor Castle and was persuaded to join the band.

King Charles played ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ on a recorder made from a carrot, delighting hundreds of guests at the event which recognised those involved in community music across the UK. Attendees included leaders of community music groups and music-related projects.

His Majesty was persuaded to join in the orchestra’s rendition of the much-loved nursery rhyme, and did a sterling job. Lifting their swedes and turnips in appreciation, the orchestra applauded His Majesty for his musical chops.

Attempting to give the carrot back to the orchestra, King Charles was told by the musicians, “That’s for you – specially made.”

His Majesty responded with a smile: “At least I can eat it.”

Soprano April Koyejo, a graduate of the Royal College of Music who has performed at the Royal Opera House, said afterwards that His Majesty joked to her in passing that “he hopes they eat the carrots because he wouldn’t want any food to go to waste”.

Read more: King Charles III is a former cellist who once conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra

Charles also met guests in Windsor’s Waterloo Chamber to watch performances from students at the Royal College of Music, where he is Patron, as well as the Sing for Freedom Choir and saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who said the King told her he “felt the joy of the performance”.

King Charles has a musical past, once playing in the cello section of his university orchestra.

“I loved playing in the orchestra at Trinity [College Cambridge] – albeit rather badly,” he admitted during an interview.

“I remember playing in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and trying to practise in my room at Cambridge to an old record conducted by Herbert von Karajan, who was the great conductor in those days, in the sixties.

“There was me sitting with my cello and my tuning fork, and I put this thing on, and of course he took it at an incredible lick – you’ve no idea how fast!”.

The King also learned to play trumpet and piano as a child, and is now a long-time supporter of the arts with patronages at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Royal College of Music and beyond.