The first 20 minutes of music at the King’s coronation in May will be conducted by a Dorset farmer.
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, who is also an internationally renowned conductor, became friends with King Charles after meeting him at an event at Sandringham.
The pair share an interest in classical music and sustainable agriculture.
Sir John said King Charles had visited his farm near Fontmell Magna on three occasions and he had also given the King two heifers for his 60th birthday.
Last month, Buckingham Palace announced Sir John would conduct The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque soloists in a pre-service programme of choral music on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey in London.
Sir John said: “He very, very generously asked me to do the first 20 minutes when everybody has arrived and are in their seats but before he himself arrives in his carriage.
“This is kind-of a pre-coronation mini concert. We do our 20 minutes and then we have to move out pretty quickly in order to let the abbey choir come in and take our place in the choir stalls.
“It’s a wonderful honour to kick off the proceedings with some very beautiful classical music.”
Sir John was awarded a knighthood for his services to music in the 1998 Queen’s Birthday Honours, receiving the honour from the then Prince Charles.
He said: “He used to drop in occasionally because our farm near Shaftesbury is on a direct route from Highgrove down to Poundbury.
“I showed him my cattle and he liked them so I decided for his 60th birthday to give him a couple of heifers.
“When he knighted me, he leant forward with the sword and said, ‘Thank you for the heifers.'”
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