Queen Elizabeth's Favorite Songs Of All Time

Elton John, Tom Jones, Madonna, Lady Gaga. Queen Elizabeth II met countless members of pop royalty during her reign. But did she ever wind down after a hard day of royal duties by listening to their music? Well, drawing upon both the royal archives and an unofficial top ten compiled by BBC Radio 2, these are the 15 songs that you may well have found on the Buckingham Palace playlist.

1. George Formby — “Leaning on a Lamp-post”

The name George Formby might mean little to you. But back in the pre-WWII era he was one of Britain’s most popular entertainers. The singer, actor, and funnyman was best-known for his amusing tracks played on the banjo. And his commercial peak occurred at a time when the Queen was only knee-high to a grasshopper. This perhaps explains why the monarch was such a fan.

Appreciation society

In fact, proof of the Queen’s fandom came when she was invited to become the George Formby Appreciation Society’s president. The future monarch actually considered taking on the role before being persuaded by advisors to give someone less regal the responsibility instead. But she still enjoyed listening to Formby’s music and the track called “Leaning on a Lamp-post,” in particular.

2. Howard Keel — “Oklahoma”

Nostalgia may well have played a part in another of the Queen’s pet sounds. After all, the royal was only a teenager when the hit Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma had its premiere. And the title track, performed by the legendary Howard Keel, went on to become a favorite of the then-princess.

On the dancefloor

You might’ve expected another number from the Broadway hit to have taken precedence, though. Yes, back when she was simply Princess Elizabeth the royal and her husband-to-be Philip used to go out dancing. And one of the tunes they regularly used to hit the dancefloor to was “People Will Say We’re In Love.”