Prince William once revealed the Tina Turner song that brings back memories of Princess Diana

Prince of Wales recalls his mother singing Tina Turner hits at the ‘top of her voice’ while driving her sons to school

The Prince of Wales once opened up about the childhood memories he has of singing Tina Turner hits with his mother Diana and his brother, the Duke of Sussex.

Tina Turner, the legendary rock and roll singer behind the tracks “Proud Mary” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It”, passed away on 24 May aged 83. In a statement, a representative for Turner announced that she had died at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.

“Tina Turner, the ‘queen of rock ’n’ roll’ has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland,” their statement read. “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.”

Back in December 2021, Prince William previously admitted to being a major fan of the hitmaker, largely due in part to his mother, the late Princess Diana. During an episode of Apple Fitness+'s Time to Walk series, then then-Duke of Cambridge took viewers through a walking tour of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Sandringham estate as he recalled the sweet “family moment” of his mother singing Tina Turner at the “top of her voice” with her sons as she drove them to school.

“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,” William said at the time. “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.”

He continued: “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,” he added. “And that’s when reality kind of sunk in that you really were going back to school because before that, you’re lost in songs. You’ll want to play it again just to keep that family moment going.

“When I listen to it now, it takes me back to those car rides and brings back lots of memories of my mother.”

William went on to say that he now creates those special moments with his three children – Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five – whom he shares with his wife, the Princess of Wales.

“Most mornings there’s a massive fight between Charlotte and George as to what song is played in the morning,” he shared. “I have to, now, basically prioritise that one day someone does this one, and another day it’s someone else’s turn. So George gets his go, then Charlotte gets her go. Such is the clamor for the music.”

He also recounted Princess Charlotte going “crazy” dancing to Shakira, and how the AC/DC song “Thunderstruck” is a “Monday morning” track that gets him “back into the grind of the week”.

Following news of Tina Turner’s passing, tributes have poured in from celebrities such as Sir Mick Jagger, Beyoncé, Paloma Faith and Naomi Campbell remembering the iconic singer.

Leading condolences was The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who duetted with Turner during Live Aid in 1985. He expressed his sadness at the news of her passing on Instagram, writing: “I’m so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner. “She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer,” he shared. “She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.”

Singer Diana Ross said she was “shocked” and “saddened” by the news of Turner’s death.

Meanwhile, Beyoncé wrote in a message on her official website: “My beloved queen, I love you endlessly. I’m so grateful for your inspiration, and all the ways you have paved the way. You are strength and resilience. You are the epitome of power and passion. We are all so fortunate to have witnessed your kindness and beautiful spirit that will forever remain.

“Thank you for all you have done,” she said.