King Charles takes his personal relationships very seriously. Royal expert Julia Melchior explains what that means for his grandchildren.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), her firstborn son became King Charles III. (74). In an interview with spot on news, royal expert Julia Melchior assesses how the heir to the throne, who has lived for decades, has mastered this transition. She also reveals previously unknown details about his social commitment and provides touching insights into his life as a grandfather. The filmmaker also shows how family-oriented and environmentally conscious the new monarch is in her new film “Charles III. – Britain’s New King”, which will be broadcast on April 27 at 8:15 p.m. on Arte.
How did Charles manage the transition from perpetual Prince of Wales to monarch?
Julia Melchior: I found the transition to be routine and unexcited. This certainly has something to do with the fact that he was prepared for this day and that he has already taken over numerous tasks from his mother in the last ten years in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. From the very first moment of his reign, Charles has conveyed a sense of calm and continuity. That message was also in his address to the nation, which he gave the day after the Queen’s death. He was very statesmanlike in renewing their promise of service to the nation.
At the same time, it has also become personal. That’s something that sets Charles apart from his mother. He’s more human I think. Of course, in his speech he mentioned his wife Camilla and the heir to the throne, William and Kate, who have also taken on new responsibilities with the change of throne. From a state perspective, other family members play no role at such a moment. But Charles also emphasized his love for his son Harry and his wife Meghan in this address to the nation. That was unusual.
King Charles is also considered to be much closer to the people than the Queen was. Can you confirm?
Melchior: Yes. At first glance, he might seem like a snob. Smartly dressed, with elite hobbies and a love of country life, very sophisticated and genteel. But when it comes to dealing with people, he is very different. Once you start paying attention, you’ll notice that he’s much more approachable. He seeks real contact with people. He approaches her, strikes up a conversation and shows interest. Charles is authentic. This could also be observed very well during his state visit to Germany. We didn’t know that from the Queen. The Queen was surrounded by the myth that you weren’t even allowed to touch her.
What do you know about his annual pre-Christmas hospice visits? It’s not really public knowledge…
Melchior: I found out by accident that Charles always visits people in a hospice before Christmas. It is remarkable that the royal family does not do any press work on this. Others would certainly take advantage of that. But he quietly wants to be there for these people. He cares about the people he meets there. King Charles is also very religious. So was the Queen. But she had little understanding for sick people. There are also no iconic images of her making eye contact with people in need or of visiting the sick, such as Princess Diana’s visit to the AIDS patient. This may also be due to the fact that the Queen has enjoyed excellent health all her life. As a result, she probably lacked the sense for diseases. Charles encounters people more in their real lives.
King Charles is also said to be a great letter writer. How personal is his correspondence?
Melchior: Charles writes letters tirelessly. He does this in the evenings at his desk or when he’s on the train or in the car while traveling. He takes the time to correspond and almost every letter is answered. Sometimes it takes a little longer, but the answers are always personal. He feels an obligation to answer every letter. For this reason, his private environment, family and friends, take care not to write him too often, so that he does not feel compelled to always write back. On the other hand, he doesn’t write e-mails, that’s not his medium.
King Charles is now a multiple grandfather. How can you imagine him as a grandpa?
Melchior: He takes on the role of grandfather with passion. And that’s why it’s sad that he hardly knows his two grandchildren in California. As a father, Charles made mistakes, as he himself admitted. For example, he did not recognize Harry’s trauma after the death of his mother and the consequences of coping with grief on his mental health and did not give him the appropriate help that this young person needed at the time. His sons grew up in a dysfunctional family. That was partly due to Charles. His grandchildren experience things differently now. The family gives the children the foundation. There is a close relationship from Charles to William and Kate’s children. Ditto for the grandchildren descended from Camilla’s children.
For example, what are Archie and Lili missing out on with their grandfather?
Melchior: Charles is a well-read man and an esthete. In this respect, he enjoys reading to the children. “Harry Potter” plays a big role in this. And as we know from Queen Camilla, he likes to read from it and do the voices of the individual characters. The kids really enjoy it too.
His own childhood, especially the parent-child relationship or the unhappy time at boarding school, was not that easy. How was he able to develop the good self-confidence that he shows today?
Melchior: Despite everything, Charles took on the role model of his parents. He internalized this obligation to put everything in the service of the crown from an early age. In fact, the only time he really rebelled was when he broke up with Princess Diana. Before that, he had tried to fit in there as well. He was shown the unconditional sense of duty and probably carries it within himself. Certainly the sovereignty that we are experiencing today also has something to do with the fact that in the end he became a very happy man with his Camilla. Their importance in this context should not be underestimated.
How do you know he’s happy?
Melchior: First of all, because he’s always happy at Camilla’s side. It also has a calming effect on him when something upsets him. Charles seems at peace with himself and his role as king. We experience him as a sovereign statesman. He is good at speaking in front of an audience. He hits the right note and addresses the right topics. He is serious, but at the appropriate point he also shows a certain lightness and a wit that draws people in. Whether they are citizens, activists, politicians or other heads of state. He has something to say, but also masters small talk. Charles wins more at short distances on everyday appointments than, for example, at openings of parliament in uniform and regalia. The latter seems a bit disguised to him.
So King Charles is family oriented, loyal, social, a great environmentalist and educated esthete. What would you say that means for his reign, what can we expect from him?
Melchior: One can assume that he will make this institution, which was surrounded by a myth under Queen Elizabeth II, more contemporary, more transparent and leaner in order to hand it over to the next generation. It won’t be a long reign, but it will certainly be one that will shape this institution. You can already say that because he simply stands for a few topics and also sets the first accents. We knew the Queen had a keen interest in horses and a love for Scotland. But we didn’t know anything about the Queen’s attitude.
Now, of course, Charles was Crown Prince for so many decades that you got to know this man much better than the Queen did back then. The fact that the British know who they are dealing with could do the office good at this time. Because there are also many who want to question or abolish the monarchy. Charles is credible on a couple of issues. Tolerance, integration and environmental protection do not concern him because the zeitgeist demands them, but because he has been pursuing these topics for a long time. Charles could have made life easier for himself, but he tried to give substance to this very thankless role of the eternal heir to the throne. He used to be mocked for that a lot in the past, but he got it right in the end.