From misbehaving animals to torrential rain, King Charles’ trip to the Channel Islands has so far had all the ingredients of a quintessential royal visit.
But the monarch perhaps got more than he bargained for when he greeted the public in the small town of St Peter Port in Guernsey on Tuesday.
Mischievous 91-year-old Kathleen Moriarty gave the King a kiss on the cheek, much to the delight of onlookers.
The loud kiss was captured by nearby cameras, breaking through the noise of the crowd.
King Charles took it in stride, shaking Kathleen’s hand and giving her a wry smile.
For a 75-year-old undergoing cancer treatment, it is an encouraging sign that he or she is improving.
However, such an intimate act may have provoked a very different response during the late Queen’s reign.
Royal biographers such as Andrew Morton have said that Queen Elizabeth would “never” have allowed a member of the public to kiss her, noting that she had a “different style” to her son.
From misbehaving animals to torrential rain, King Charles’ trip to the Channel Islands has so far had all the ingredients of a quintessential royal visit, writes NATASHA LIVINGSTONE
But the monarch perhaps got more than he bargained for when he greeted the public in the small town of St Peter Port in Guernsey on Tuesday. Mischievous 91-year-old Kathleen Moriarty gave the king a kiss on the cheek, much to the delight of onlookers.
And yesterday was not the first time Charles received a kiss from the public.
The day after his mother’s death in September 2022, the new King put on a brave face as he shook hands with supporters at Buckingham Palace.
In a display of affection, one woman leaned down to kiss his hand, while another gave him a kiss on the cheek.
It was the first sign of what has been called the “informal formality” of King Charles’s reign, reflecting his relaxed approach to enthusiastic gland handling.
As a royal reporter who regularly follows the King on his engagements, this is something I have seen with my own eyes.
Their relaxed royal style was a particular hit during their tour of Kenya last autumn, where the country’s predominantly young population (with an average age of just 19) welcomed the King and Queen like rock stars.
One 17-year-old girl even told me she “loved” Charles on a sunny beach in Mombasa.
A royal admirer kisses King Charles’ hand during a walk outside Buckingham Palace following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, September 2022
Few will forget the bold red lipstick left on her cheek after a lively encounter with the Spice Girls in 1997.
Prince Charles receives a kiss from a royal admirer during his visit to York to see flood damage, 2000
Prince Charles is kissed by an elderly woman during a visit to Cwmaman, Aberdare, Wales, in 2001
Prince Charles receives a kiss on the cheek from teacher Kate Skillman during his visit to Sydney, March 2005
But the King’s natural warmth towards royal fans might not sit so well with Harry.
The Duke of Sussex said in his memoir Spare that his father “wasn’t very good at showing emotion” and did not hug him after Princess Diana’s tragic death.
Is the advancing years making the King a softer person?
Records from his time as Prince of Wales suggest that he has always been this way when it comes to allowing kisses from his fans.
A black and white photograph from November 1977 shows Charles warmly receiving a kiss from a royal admirer in Perth, Western Australia.
Prince Charles receives a kiss from sixteen-year-old Gilda Larbey during a stroll through the shopping centre of Perth, Western Australia, in November 1977.
Prince Charles is kissed by Jane Priest, a model, as he emerges from the water at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, during his tour of Australia in 1979.
Prince William also appears to have adopted a more relaxed style of interacting with the public.
And few will forget the bold red lipstick left on her cheek after a lively encounter with the Spice Girls two decades later.
It’s a trend that the new Prince of Wales, Prince William, seems to have adopted.
During a visit to Wales last October, the Prince was mobbed by well-wishers who burst out laughing when he joked: “Who’s pinching my bum?”
And last month, former England footballer Paul Gascoigne got away with planting a kiss on William’s cheek when he met him by chance in Bournemouth.
Like the ancient ban on taking selfies, royal protocol evolves over time.
So the new edict is: ‘You may now kiss… the King’?