Sir Elton John hints at royal wedding performance

Veteran chart star Sir Elton John suggested he could have a role at next year's royal wedding.

The musician - who was a favourite of Prince William's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales - said he would "probably" perform.

Sir Elton famously performed at Diana's funeral after the lyrics to his hit Candle In The Wind were adapted to reflect her life. The song went on to become the biggest selling single in UK chart history as it tapped into the nation's grief.

William and fiancee Kate Middleton announced their engagement last week and are to marry on April 29 at Westminster Abbey.

When Radio 2 presenter Steve Wright asked Sir Elton whether he would perform at the wedding, he replied: "I probably am."

But he then quickly joked: "I'll probably be busking outside."

The singer - who is soon to take a role as guest editor for The Independent newspaper - said he would not be commissioning much about the royal date.

"There's not going to be much about the royal wedding in there, though. I think we've had enough of that for the time being."

Sir Elton also bemoaned the state of the music world and its "mediocrity".

He told the Steve Wright in the Afternoon show: "I just find when you look at music in the late 1960s, early 1970s, during the 1970s and even some of the 1980s, it's so much better than it is now.

"That's a fact. It's not just me being grumpy, it's just a fact."

And he said he was no fan of technology.
"I don't have a mobile phone because if anyone wants to get hold of me, they can," he said.

"If I had a mobile phone I'd lose it. The internet doesn't interest me, except I can get my sports scores. I do have a computer in my office in LA that I go to for the BBC news in the morning and the sports scores. That's all I go on - BBC News, BBC Sports, that's it."

Sir Elton also donated one of his pianos to Radio 2 for the station to use for live performances.

"The piano is, of course, my favourite instrument to play and I hope it inspires the musicians who play it," he said.

The Yamaha DC7 piano will be used for shows such as Weekend Wogan, Radio 2 In Concert and Jamie Cullum's weekly jazz show.