Prince William has opened up about the impact Tina Turner’s music has had on his childhood, and how he plays her hits to keep the memory of his mother, Princess Diana, alive
Prince William has paid tribute to Tina Turner with a heartfelt confession about the impact her music had on his childhood.
The iconic singer passed away ‘peacefully’ from natural causes on Wednesday, at her home in Switzerland, aged 83.
The Prince of Wales admitted that he was a big fan of the singer, revealing that he often used to listen to the singer’s repertoire of hits.
However, he also opened up about the emotional tie he has to some of Tina’s songs too, admitting he still listens to her music in order to keep memories of his beloved mother, Princess Diana, alive.
During a 2021 interview for the Apple audio experience, Time To Walk, William confessed to having a soft spot for Tina’s 1989 hit, The Best.
He told listeners that his mother had often played the song while driving him and Harry back to boarding school, in order to ease their nerves, calling it a “real family moment”.
He 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.
“When I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother.”
The singer passed away earlier this week, with her spokesman confirming she died ‘peacefully’ at home.
The singer had battled illness for a long time, undergoing a kidney transplant in 2017 and battling high blood pressure.
Her spokesman said: “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.
“With her music and her inexhaustible vitality, Tina Turner thrilled millions of fans and inspired many artists of subsequent generations.”
