Here are some photos of King Charles last week. He was busy, as always. He hosted a reception at St. James’s Palace, he visited the Britannia Royal Naval College (he’s the Lord High Admiral), and he had an absolute ball as he opened up the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery London. They let him pull a pint and sip it, and he was utterly delighted. While I think Charles is an appalling man for many reasons, I appreciate his eccentricities and his visible joy at the simple things enjoyed by peasants. Charles was in a particularly good mood because his cancer treatments are being reduced and it does feel like he’s turned a corner. Obviously, his heir does not share the king’s delight. Thus far, we haven’t heard much about how William feels about all of this, but Richard Kay (someone with deep contacts in both KP and BP) had some interesting things to say.

The King’s announcement that his cancer treatment is being reduced had a ‘hidden message’ for his critics, one of the Daily Mail’s royal experts claimed today. Charles revealed the major boost in his battle with cancer in a video message a week ago, saying his treatment will be significantly scaled back in the New Year. The monarch said in the positive update on December 12 that the ‘good news’ was down to early diagnosis, successful care and following ‘doctors’ orders’.

Richard Kay, the Mail’s senior editor-at-large, said in the latest Palace Confidential episode that the King primarily gave the speech because his treatment is changing. But he added that there was also a nod towards critics of Charles amid ongoing speculation of how the monarchy could change when William becomes king.

Speaking to presenter Jo Elvin, Mr Kay told the programme: ‘There’s been a lot of chatter around the Royal Family and the monarchy over the last few months. People (are) speculating about what kind of monarch Prince William is going to make and what kind of changes he might be introducing when he gets his opportunity. It was just a little reminder that the King saying: ‘Hello, I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere. And while I’m King, we’re going to do it my way.’ I think that might just slap down one or two people who have been a little forward in their views.’

Mr Kay also described the announcement as ‘a wonderful bulletin about his health battle and how he’s powering through and making great strides to getting better’. He said it was a ‘very uplifting, encouraging pre-Christmas message and he was very open, I thought, about the battles he’s had, the diagnosis’, adding that there was also a ‘hidden message there too about cancer and the need to get people examined’.

It follows claims of tensions between Charles and William which emerged over the summer – with Prince Harry’s wish to reconcile with his family also at its heart. Former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown also alleged that Charles was becoming frustrated by William’s ‘underwhelming’ approach to royal duties.

[From The Daily Mail]

“I think that might just slap down one or two people who have been a little forward in their views…” One or two people being Scooter King and the Wig, I’m assuming. And I completely agree. It feels like Charles’s announcement put Scooter on the back foot. Scooter was getting quite bold with his briefings as well – there were way too many stories about William being “king in all but name” and “the incoming reign will make all of these changes.” That being said, Charles made very similar moves against his mother in her final years too, he just wasn’t a bull in a china shop about it.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.