Prince William and Catherine Mark King Charles's 78th Birthday

The Prince and Princess of Wales have marked King Charles's 78th birthday with a public message posted on their joint Instagram account.

The post read: "Wishing a very Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King!" It was shared alongside a photo of the King with Elton John, the singer and pianist, according to Hello! Magazine, which reported the post on 14 November 2026.

The King was born on 14 November 1948, so his birthday falls on Saturday this year. Birthdays are marked in several ways across the royal family. This year's most visible tribute comes from the King's friendship with the musician.

King Charles and Elton John recorded a special episode of Elton John's Apple Radio show, Rocket Hour, to mark the birthday. The episode runs for an hour. Elton John hosts the programme, which features music, interviews and guest conversations. The two men speak on air as the show's guests and host.

Apple Radio is a radio-style show service run by Apple, the technology company, and it carries programmes that listeners can stream on demand. A special episode like this one is a one-off recording rather than part of a regular weekly schedule.

The message is a short one, but it carries a clear signal. The Prince and Princess of Wales are the heir and his wife, and their joint post is a public greeting from the next generation to the monarch. Royal birthday messages of this kind are usually brief, and this one follows that pattern.

For listeners and fans, the radio special is the bigger draw. An hour of conversation between a monarch and one of the best-known musicians in Britain is an unusual event. Anyone who wants to hear it can find it on Apple's platform.