HIS accession to the throne has been somewhat overshadowed by his bitter fallout with his youngest son Prince Harry, but King Charles can take comfort in the fact he is surrounded by a fiercely loyal inner circle – including an unassuming ‘carpenter’.
The 74-year-old monarch’s fondness for Kate Middleton has been evident for years – he calls her his “darling daughter-in-law” and has been seen blowing a kiss to her at royal events – while his bond with Prince William is said to be “stronger than ever” following the death of Queen Elizabeth.
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“Talking about the future of the country and their future roles has strengthened their bond,” a source revealed.
Other senior working royals, including Princess Anne, Sophie Wessex and Prince Edward, have rallied around Charles following the fallout from ‘Megxit’ in 2020 when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal life.
A tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, a no-holds-barred Netflix documentary and the release of Harry’s explosive memoir Spare in January sent the feud stratospheric.
Buckingham Palace remained steadfast in refusing to respond to the allegations – which reportedly left Princess Anne “furious” – including claims that Charles used to joke he wasn’t Harry’s “real father.
A friend of the King told The Sunday Times: “Charles has done the right thing to rise above it and carry on with the work of the monarchy, which provides a welcome and stark contrast to what happens on the west coast of America. It’s all very sad, but it mirrors what happens in a lot of families, so it humanises him.”
Someone who has stepped into the void left by Prince Harry is Charles’ new ‘favourite’ – his cousin David, the Earl of Snowdon, who is playing an increasingly important role in his evolving court.
“He has become Charles’s eyes and ears, and provides a trusted conduit to the Palace,” a royal source told Fabulous, adding: “He is respected and well-liked, and has become significantly important in the King’s life, much more so than people know.”
David, who until recently occupied a relatively humble position in the royal family, did not go to university, preferring to train as a carpenter.
In 1982 he set up his own furniture and interior design company, selling items to clients such as Sir Elton John and Sir Mick Jagger. He also took up a role as a director of auctioneers Christies.
“Charles always had a perfectly friendly relationship with cousin David but they have become closer in the past few years, and particularly during the sensitive time of Charles’s transition from Prince of Wales to monarch,” the royal source said.
He has become Charles’s eyes and ears, and provides a trusted conduit to the Palace.”
Even though Charles is on a seven-week break in Scotland, Paul Burrell, ex-royal butler, noted how his new duties have curtailed the time he has been able to spend with close members of his family, including William, Kate and their three children.
“Last year he could do what he wanted, go wherever he liked and didn’t have any constraints, but this year he’s monarch and he will have to, wherever he is, receive his government red box every single day, the way the Queen did all her life,” said Burrell.
But, despite the constraints of being head of state, Charles continues to make time for David – who courteers say has won his ultimate trust and respect.
“Charles now has many more responsibilities and much less time to spend with people, let alone members of the royal family, but it’s noticeable that he will always make time for David.
He is respected and well-liked, and has become significantly important in the King’s life, much more so than people know.”
“The two stay in frequent touch by phone and if he can, Charles – who quite often doesn’t bother with lunch – will suggest David comes over for a bite if they are both in London.”
Those working for the then Prince of Wales first noticed a subtle shift in the amount of time he spent with David around five years ago, when Charles would frequently seek his views on mutual matters of interest, such as design or architecture.
Eventually David was asked to be vice-president of the Prince’s Foundation, a charity whose aims are stated as being “to work to realise Charles’s vision of creating communities for a more sustainable world.”
The organisation has helped some 8000 candidates with successful design projects.
The insider added: “The prince respected David’s input as someone who has worked all his life.”
Since Charles’s succession to the throne, he has asked David to take on a more enhanced role at the Prince’s Foundation, deputising for the king at private and public events which he is able to attend.
Charles now has many more responsibilities and much less time to spend with people, let alone members of the royal family.”
In his first televised address to the nation after acceding to the throne, Charles acknowledged that he would no longer dedicate himself to the charities bearing his name in the same way.
He declared: “It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energy to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply.”
Charles has handed much of the responsibilities of overseeing his charities to David.
It is rumoured that Charles and Harry could meet for peace talks next month when the Duke is in Europe for the Invictus Games – however, if that fails the King always has an ally in David.
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