In an unexpected yet fitting crossover, Buckingham Palace featured Taylor Swift’s 2019 track “London Boy” as the background music for a video showcasing King Charles III’s recent visit to the SXSW London festival in East London.
The video, posted on the Royal Family’s official Instagram account, shows the monarch exploring Old Spitalfields Market and attending events at SXSW London, a new offshoot of the renowned Austin-based culture and tech festival.
A Royal Visit to Shoreditch
According to the Palace, King Charles visited SXSW London in Shoreditch on Thursday to celebrate innovation in culture, technology, and the arts.
“Originating in Austin, Texas, the festival aims to serve as a platform to showcase the future of the creative industries, supporting emerging artists and innovative projects,” the Palace wrote in the Instagram caption.
Before leaving, the monarch made a stop at Old Spitalfields Market, where he met local stallholders and chatted with vendors at the market’s famous “Antiques Thursday.”
The Taylor Swift Connection
What made the post go viral wasn’t just the king’s casual market stroll — it was the use of Swift’s upbeat track “London Boy”, a fan-favorite from her 2019 album Lover. The song references London landmarks and nods to Swift’s own romantic ties to the UK, making it a cheeky and culturally relevant musical choice.
A History of Royal-Swift Encounters
The timing of the video also comes amid renewed interest in the pop superstar’s relationship with the Royal Family. Last year, Taylor Swift met Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte backstage at her Eras Tour show in London, alongside boyfriend Travis Kelce. The group posed for a cheerful selfie, which was widely shared online.
Kate Middleton was notably absent from the event due to undergoing cancer treatment, but the warm meeting between Swift and the royal trio captured headlines around the globe.
