A 54-year-old pianist from Kent is to play for The Pope. Adrian Whittell is one of a select band of British musicians going to the Vatican to mark the 500th anniversary of the Pope’s fabled Swiss Guard.

Pope Benedict XVI will be attending the celebrations in St Peter’s Square and other venues, on May 5 and 6.

Mr Whittell has played many times for the Queen, as well as Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and the Sultan of Oman.

He enjoyed an illustrious musical career with the Royal Engineers’ band, playing all over the world and for the BBC, including in the final Music While You Work radio show.

He also played in the Falklands for the troops and former Governor Sir Rex Hunt a year after the war with Argentina.

Mr Whittell, who lives with his partner Patricia in Upchurch, near Sittingbourne, and rehearses in Rainham, is going to Rome with the Honourable Artillery Company. He has been a member since 1991.

He said he was delighted to be playing for a Pope for the first time. and added: 2I’m quite astounded. I’m thrilled about it because he’s a fairly new Pope and it’s something so different. I’m very honoured to do it.”

Mr Whittell also plays the organ and clarinet and is a music teacher in Medway.

A fan of Gershwin, Rachmaninov and Richard Clayderman, he plays every Friday and Saturday at the Casanova Restaurant in Maidstone Road, Rochester, and regularly at the London Gatwick Hilton Hotel, and the Gloucester Hotel Kensington.

He formed the London Salon Orchestra to play for weddings, corporate functions, banquets and dinner parties. “Music gives me such a buzz,” he said. “I may not have material wealth but a spiritual wealth is more important somehow.”