LONDON, May 19, 2006

Royals Say They're Fans Of Reality TV

Princes William And Harry Watch 'American Idol' And Fight Over The Remote

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(AP)  Even British royals need a dose of reality sometimes — reality TV.

Prince Charles and his sons, William and Harry, appear with comedians Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in a TV interview to air Saturday.

Among the shocking royal revelations: Charles is a fan of Canadian folk singer Leonard Cohen. His sons, meanwhile, have an appetite for reality TV, watching shows such as "The X Factor."

"He won't admit to it but we did both watch it, especially the American 'Pop Idol,' " said the 21-year-old Prince Harry, pointing to his older brother, Prince William.

The lighthearted interview — excerpts of which were released May 17 — was made as part of the celebrations surrounding the 30th anniversary of The Prince's Trust, a charity founded by Charles to help the underprivileged.

Charles' office said there were no ground rules for the interview, but that it was done as part of an entertainment extravaganza to mark the Trust's anniversary.

During the interview, Charles grumbled about his sons' taste in music and shed some light on his own preferences.

"I tell you who I also think is wonderful is a chap called Leonard Cohen, do you know him?" Charles said of the brooding poet and singer-songwriter known for songs such as "I'm Your Man."

"He's remarkable. ... I mean the orchestration is fantastic and the words, the lyrics and everything, he's a remarkable man, and he has this incredibly sort of laid-back gravelly voice, it's terrific stuff, I think. I enjoy the jazz and things."

William, 23, joked about his younger brother's music tastes, saying they were "pretty shocking." He gave no examples, but said they did like some of the same groups.

The royal duo often fight over the television remote control.

" 'Friends' is always a safe bet," said Harry, a recent graduate of Sandhurst military academy.

A concert at the Tower of London on May 20 will mark the anniversary of The Prince's Trust. Scheduled performers include Ozzy Osbourne, Annie Lennox and Lionel Richie.

"I can't believe it is 30 years, do you know that?" Charles asked the comedians, known as Ant and Dec. "It is rather worrying. And I'm still alive."


©MMVI, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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