King hits the DJ decks on city arts venue visit

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PA Media Christian St Louis helps King Charles operate his DJ deck during a visit to Aviva Studios in Manchester, the home of Factory International. Charles is wearing a light grey suit with a white shirt and a pale grey tie.PA Media

King Charles was asked by an onlooker: "It's not as easy as it looks, is it?"

The King has admitted he was "trying to get a hang of it" after hitting the DJ decks while on a visit to Manchester.

King Charles III met young people who have received support from the King's Trust charity as he toured Aviva Studios, home of the city's arts organisation Factory International.

Aspiring DJ Christian St Louis, from Middleton, in Greater Manchester, invited the King to try his hand on the mixing desk.

Putting the monarch through his paces, the 22-year-old explained: "First, you load up the tracks and then play this one. There are so many buttons. Once you know what to do, it's easy."

King Charles moved to the groove as an onlooker said: "It's not as easy as it looks, is it?"

He laughed and replied: "I'm trying to get the hang of it."

St Louis told him that taking a DJing course through the trust had been "more than helpful".

He added: "I always wanted to DJ. Now I know I can do it."

St Louis said he was now looking for a job to save up and buy his own decks, with a goal of bringing out his own recording.

PA Media Christian St Louis helps King Charles operate his DJ deck during a visit to Aviva Studios in Manchester, the home of Factory International. Charles is wearing a light grey suit with a white shirt and a pale grey tie.PA Media

The King figures out how to use a mixing desk

In 2024, the King's Trust joined forces with the Elba Hope Foundation, a charity founded by actor Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina.

They launched Creative Futures, a range of free courses designed to inspire young people through the arts, building their skills and confidence to work in the creative industries.

Elba was himself supported by the King's Trust, formerly the Prince's Trust, when he was a teenager.

Another beneficiary, 19-year-old Mariama Gallow, from Manchester, read her own poem to the King.

Gallow did a creative music course and went on to learn about health and social care.

The King told her he had already seen an example of her poetry, which Elba had shown him on a piece of film.

He said: "It was fantastic. Really, really good."

King Charles also met young people who had learned stage construction skills including lighting, sound and production through the Factory Academy at Aviva Studios.

Creative Futures has helped more than 100 young people across Manchester and is now supporting young people in other parts of the UK.

Launched in 2018 by Factory International, the academy aims to provide accessible career pathways into the creative sector and boost skills across the region.

The Factory Academy has collaborated with the King's Trust to deliver programmes from Creative Futures.

The King also unveiled a plaque to mark his visit before he was treated to an open-air performance by a choir from the Royal Northern College of Music.

He spoke briefly to members of the public who gathered outside the city-centre venue.


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