King Charles III in a promotional shot for his new Apple Music collaboration in honour of Commonwealth Day (Photo: Buckingham Palace)
March 13, 2025
LONDON, United Kingdom — King Charles III recently reminisced on his first time meeting the “marvellous” and “infectious” reggae legend Bob Marley as he marked Commonwealth Day 2025 with a playlist featuring reggae, afrobeats and other genres.
According to a report from The Guardian, the monarch hailed Marley for his “marvellous, infectious energy” while playing a version of the Jamaican singer’s Could You Be Loved as part of his personal playlist that “brings him joy”.
The monarch was speaking in a broadcast released in a collaboration with Apple Music on Monday.
The British newspaper also shared snippets of the meeting between the royal and the Jamaican.
“I remember when he came to London to perform when I was much younger, and I met him at some event,” the king recalled. “That marvellous, infectious energy, of course, he had, but also his deep sincerity, and his profound concern for his community. I always recall his words: ‘The people have a voice inside of them’. He gave the world that voice in a way that no one who heard can ever forget.”
The king also hailed Jamaicans Millie Small, including her song My Boy Lollipop in his playlist, and Grace Jones, whose rendition of La Vie en Rose is included.