King Charles Gives Off ‘Granddad Vibes’ As He Tries His Hand at DJing in Latest Outing
Guided by 22-year-old Christian St. Louis, the King dove into a masterclass on the crossfader, proving that royal duties can (and should) include learning a few new tricks.
King Charles proved he’s still got some rhythm — or at least a curiosity for the beat — by trading his ceremonial duties for a pair of headphones on March 16. During a visit to Manchester’s Aviva Studios, the 77-year-old monarch took over the turntables to try his hand at DJing — a hobby no doubt encouraged by his long-time charity ally and professional deck-spinner, Idris Elba. The King wasn’t there just for the vibes. In fact, he was in town to celebrate 50 years of The King’s Trust supporting young creatives. Under the watchful eye of 22-year-old instructor Christian St. Louis, Charles tackled the basics of the crossfader, proving that you’re never too old to learn a new track.
St. Louis — who built his own career path through the Trust — was quite impressed by the King’s willingness to dive headfirst into DJ subculture. “I showed him how to put the fade up and stop one track and fade the second one in,” the DJ told PEOPLE, noting that the monarch brought genuine energy to the decks, and wasn’t just there for the royal photo op. He continued, “I got genuine energy from him…He seemed like he wanted to be here and was pretty involved with the people who are here.” St. Louis admitted the whole experience was ‘wicked’ — and surprisingly relaxed. “It all went quite fast…It was wicked,” he added, noting that he got some major ‘granddad vibes’ from the monarch thanks to his ‘wisdom’ and the ‘energy’ he radiated.
The room erupted as King Charles successfully manipulated the tracks. Fellow student Mubarra Shah, 25, noted the lighthearted atmosphere, adding, “He found it really funny. He loved it. Everyone clapped, and people were laughing.” The DJ session was more than just a royal experiment for the king; in fact, it was a full-circle moment for his relationship with Elba. Now 53, the knighted actor famously credits a grant from The King’s Trust at age 18 for launching his career. While he wasn’t there to witness Charles flaunting his DJing skills, his influence was clear through the Creative Futures program — a joint initiative between the Trust and the Elba Hope Foundation designed to help young talent find their own passion.
While the DJ decks provided a modern twist to the royal visit, the monarch’s foray into mixing is actually a natural extension of a lifelong obsession — his deep-rooted passion for music. Charles might be a beginner at dropping the beat, but he’s a veteran of the cello — an instrument he’s played since his school days. A former member of the Trinity College orchestra, he once famously joked about his musical ‘struggles’ while trying to match the recordings by the great Herbert von Karajan.
“There was me sitting with my cello and my tuning fork…and of course he took it at an incredible lick – you’ve no idea how fast!,” he said while speaking on the BBC Radio 4 podcast The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed. Though his naval career eventually forced him to abandon the cello — noting it wasn’t easy to fit the bulky instrument into a ship — his passion for the arts has never wavered.
