Duke of York admits to ‘headbanger’ taste in music
THE Duke of York has revealed that he listens to house and garage music in his car because the “headbanging nonsense” helps to keep him calm.
The Duke was discussing his views about how the power of art and music help to motivate people in an interview on the Brilliant Minds Podcast.
He stated that though he does not generally use music to help him meet the demands of his busy life, the Nineties dance genre often made its way onto his radio.
When the Duke was asked by hosts Natalia Brzezinski and Juliet De Baubigny if he liked to play music by the composer Wagner, he said: ‘‘There are occasions where I listen to some very strange house or garage on the radio in the car, just because it’s headbanging nonsense, and for some reason it allows me to become completely calm and it doesn’t excite me.’’
The Duke, whose youngest daughter Eugenie will marry Jack Brooksbank in October this year, stated that life as a member of the Royal family meant he was an especially vigilant driver.
He described his frustration at inconsiderate road users, who flout road safety regulations, admitting that motorists turning their attention away from the road was a particular concern for the father of two.
He said: ‘‘There are occasions when I get slightly irritated with other road users who haven’t had quite the same level of training I’ve had, because I have been trained to the nth degree by security and all other things.
‘‘I do sometimes get irritated with people who are either using their mobile telephone or they are using their sat navigation systems and they are not concentrating on what’s around them.’’
On the subject of books, the Duke revealed that Margaret Craven’s novel, I Heard the Owl Call My Name, proved to be especially poignant.
He said: ‘‘Many years ago I was given a book and it has always stayed with me, I Heard the Owl Call My Name. Whenever I read it it brings a tear to my eye. I’m not going to reveal anything about it – you’ll see what I mean.”
He also spoke about his successful entrepreneurial initiative Pitch@palace.
The Brilliant Minds Podcast is streamed on Spotify.