Prince Edward picks ‘bright and cheerful’ song on radio for 60th birthday

The Duke of Edinburgh chose ‘Walking on Sunshine’ as he was asked to introduce a song on his local radio station for his 60th birthday.

Prince Edward considered Mr. Blue Sky by the Electric Light Orchestra and Bright Side of the Road by Van Morrison before deciding on the 1983 hit by Katrina and the Waves.

He told listeners of Surrey Hills Community Radio on Sunday morning that it was “bright and cheerful” and reminded him of spring.

“Well, it’s Mothering Sunday, so I’m trying to think of something that was bright and cheerful and I was a bit stuck because there’s a range of bits of music that could be that,” he said.

“It could be Mr. Blue Sky by the Electric Light Orchestra, or Bright Side of the Road by Van Morrison, which is a little bit different.

“But I think the one I’m going to plump for is Walking on Sunshine.”

Visit to radio station

Prince Edward, who once pursued a career in entertainment and worked on musicals at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company in the 1980s, appeared on the radio station to mark its 10th anniversary.

Bagshot Park, the royal residence he shares with the Duchess of Edinburgh and their two children, is fewer than 25 miles from the station’s headquarters in Leatherhead.

Prince Edward was invited to sit in the presenter’s chair as he asked questions to the show’s station managers and presenters during the pre-recorded interview earlier this week.

He said he was on a “learning mission” to find out more about the station as he quizzed presenters Mark B and Aaron Tatham and managers Dave Smith and Kayleigh Arunasalo for around 15 minutes.

He praised the station’s work in the community as well as the “brilliant” work experience scheme it runs to bring in new presenters.

They also discussed different charities and local organisations supported by the station, as Prince Edward had met representatives from a range of groups at Leatherhead Parish Church Hall earlier that day.

The interview came as the King appointed his brother Edward to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle on the occasion of his 60th birthday, along with Professor Baroness Black of Strome, Baroness Helena Kennedy of The Shaws and Professor Sir Geoff (Godfrey) Palmer.

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland.