‘Jolly’ King plays carrot recorder at Windsor Castle music reception

The King was described as being “jolly” and “in great spirits” by guests as he played a recorder made out of a carrot at a music reception at Windsor Castle.

Charles returned to official public duties after temporary side effects from cancer treatment forced him to cancel a string of engagements at the end of last week.

The King welcomed musicians to Windsor Castle on Thursday for a reception celebrating community music, having returned to state business on Monday after a restful weekend.

The London Vegetable Orchestra (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images – Aaron Chown

The London Vegetable Orchestra, the UK’s only ensemble to use instruments made of hand-crafted local vegetables, played to the King in St George’s Hall and let him have a turn on one of their carrot recorders.

April Koyejo, from the Royal Opera House, said Charles joked to her in passing that “he hopes they eat the carrots because he wouldn’t want any food to go to waste”.

Charles also met guests in Windsor’s Waterloo Chamber to watch the Royal College of Music, the Sing for Freedom Choir and British saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who said the King told her he “felt the joy of the performance”.

Charles meets YolanDa Brown (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images – Aaron Chown

Alan Livingstone, who is a breakfast DJ at All FM, a community radio station in Manchester, said: “He was in great spirits, jolly and laughing and joking.

“That cheeky smile when you hold his hand. He is so genuine.

“I was speaking with him about how I only started DJing late in life and he said it is wonderful and how great it is that I enjoy it.”

Mr Livingstone, 66, was a Royal Mail manager before becoming a DJ, aged 64.

Charles with members of the Sing for Freedom Choir (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images – Aaron Chown

Discussing the King’s return to state business, Mr Livingstone said: “Amazing that he makes the effort. What an incredible man, to do all this and encourage people to do good work in the community.”

Nazli Erdogan, from the Brixton Chamber Orchestra, said: “It is amazing, his sense of duty. You could just be in bed.”

During the reception, the Royal Opera House Songs for Ukraine Chorus – a choir made up of Ukrainian singers affected by the war – sang from the balcony.

Bohdan Parashchak, the conductor of the chorus, said: “We talked about how when you can do something like this, just a few hours a week is like a kind of healing.”