Jon Bon Jovi thanks Taylor Swift for enticing Prince William onstage to sing ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’
Jon Bon Jovi says he’s “grateful to this day” to Taylor Swift for encouraging Prince William to join them onstage for a rendition of his signature 1986 hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer”.
The unlikely trio performed the song at the Centrepoint Gala Dinner at Kensington Palace on 26 November 2013, and footage of the moment has regularly gone viral ever since.
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Speaking to The Independent, Bon Jovi paid tribute to Swift for bringing the three of them together.
“It was all her,” he said. “She literally grabbed him by the arm and ran up on stage, and they both knew the words and sang along.
“I give her kudos and I’m grateful to this day because, you know, there’s the future king of England with the biggest pop star in the world singing one of your songs. It’s a great memory.”
Read The Independent’s full interview with Jon Bon Jovi here.
In 2021, Prince William recalled the night in an episode of Apple Fitness+’s Time to Walk podcast.
“I’m sat next to Taylor Swift. She’s on my left. And after Jon does his first song, there’s a pause, and she turns to me. She puts her hand on my arm, looks me in the eye, and says, ‘Come on, William. Let’s go and sing,’” said the Prince of Wales.
“To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I’m cringing at what happened next, and I don’t understand why I gave in. But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, ‘Come with me…’ I got up like a puppy and went, ‘Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. I’ll follow you.’”
“I walked up on stage in a trance, and then sort of halfway through Jon Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ song, I wake up, and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Am I standing on the stage singing “Livin’ on a Prayer” when I don’t even know the words?’
“But the Centrepoint young guys and girls were there all loving it and cheering away. So I thought, ‘Well, if they’re enjoying it, then the night is for them. So sod it. I can’t be the doofus who’s going to ruin it for everyone.’ And so I desperately try and remember some of the words and sing as hard as I can.
“Beneath my black tie, there was a lot of sweating going on. I felt like a swan, where I was trying to keep myself composed on the outside, but inside, the little legs are paddling fast.”
Taylor Swift released her latest album The Tortured Poets Society earlier today, and it has already broken the record for the album with the most Spotify streams in a single day.
Follow live updates and reactions to Swift’s new album here.
