Prince Charles makes comment about reporter in 2005

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Never far away from a gaggle of photographers, the Royal Family are known for their polite and patient attitude towards the press. However, this is not always the case. Body language expert Judi James spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about when King Charles was overheard “grumbling” on camera.

The then-Prince Charles was enjoying a holiday with sons William and Harry at Klosters, Switzerland, before his wedding to Camilla Parker-Bowles.

Eight days before the ceremony, the royal trio sat down with paparazzi after a fun day on the slopes to discuss the upcoming nuptials.

However, unbeknownst to him, there was more picked up by the cameras than Charles’ polite answers about the wedding, when he was caught “grumbling” about a BBC royal correspondent.

Judi told Express.co.uk: “Charles has been having several awkward moments recently but the one at Klosters in 2005 on the build-up to his wedding to Camilla was especially blush-making and largely self-inflicted.

“It also had a ‘victim’ in the shape of royal correspondent and apparent all-round ‘Royal Stan’ Nicholas Witchell.

“These photo-calls on their skiing holidays are seen as something of a deal between the royals and the press, ie. ‘we pose for the cameras and then you leave us to holiday in peace’.

“Nobody really expects the royals to relish them and presumably they see them as a necessary evil although the fans adore to see the happily smiling faces of the Firm in more relaxed and less formal mode.”

Nevertheless, William made reporters chuckle with his worry about forgetting the rings, and Harry was also in “good spirits”.

Charles, however, “adopted the pose of a rebellious child”, according to Judi, “grumbling to his sons, looking away and producing some sarcastic-sounding responses to polite questions from the press”.

There was a rather touching moment where Harry reached for his father’s hand to help him into pose, and later Charles putting an arm round his back with a “fond” smile.

Judi suggested that these moments provoke “nostalgia” for the relationship that once was.

However, Charles’ interactions with the press were far from “fond”, obvious from his body language and muttered comments.

Judi stated: “Clearly forgetting his voice would be picked up by the microphones he was said to have moaned, ‘I hate doing this’, and ‘I can’t bear that man, he’s so awful, he really is’.”

And according to the expert, Charles’ reaction was at odds with what was actually going on.

She explained: “If he’d been talking about a journalist known for being openly critical or rude about the royals the ‘reveal’ might have passed off without toes curling up into snow boots.

“But Witchell is a man who always seems to be the most loyal and reverent royal correspondent, usually speaking of them in hushed tones at the big royal occasions.”

The offending question was about how the former Prince of Wales was feeling about the wedding, to which Charles responded that “it’s a very nice thought, isn’t it?”, adding, “I’m very glad you’ve heard of it anyway”.

Judi concluded: “It was the incongruent body language from Charles that jarred, too.

“One moment he was producing rictus ‘lightning’ smiles for the cameras, the next he would produce a grimace with a display of the tongue.

“While William and Harry played the game by looking happy and polite, Charles played the grumpy child between them, with his own sons trying to encourage him to play ball.”

Paddy Harverson, the prince’s communications secretary at the time, said: “We recognise that we cannot stop photographers taking these pictures, but we hope every year that they will respect the privacy of the family and friends and their need to have a private holiday. There were paps taking pictures all over the place all day.”

He later stated: “Nicholas was in the firing line when the prince was expressing his general frustration at the paparazzi and it boiled over at the first person to ask a question.

“It wasn’t personal. He does regret saying it. He really didn’t mean to take it out on Nicholas.”

Source: Read Full Article