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King Charles has vetoed any major public celebration of his forthcoming landmark 75th birthday.
The new monarch has decided there have been enough big set-piece royal events of late and that his own celebrations should be ‘minimal’ and ‘family orientated’.
In the last 12 months alone, the nation has marked Queen Elizabeth’s historic Platinum Jubilee, an unprecedented period of national mourning around her death and funeral last September and His Majesty’s coronation in May.
While all have been well-received and highlighted the best of Britain, they have also involved enormous co-ordination and planning as well as cost to the public purse.
‘His Majesty is not given to fuss over such things as it is but he is [also] acutely conscious there have been many set-piece royal events of late and his firm thinking is that events to mark his birthday will be minimal,’ a source said.
King Charles has reportedly said he wants ‘minimal’ fuss for his 75th birthday this year following an entire year of big royal events including his first Trooping the Colour as monarch (pictured)
Another insider remarked: ‘There’s been enough fly-pasts and marches.’
Instead Charles is likely to keep the focus very much on business, undertaking public engagements – perhaps with a cake or a few words of celebration – in the run-up to the big day on November 14. There could also be a private dinner, possibly at Highgrove, his country home in Gloucestershire, organised by Queen Camilla for friends and family.
When Charles turned 65 in 2013, Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, told the Daily Mail that her ‘workaholic’ husband was ‘not one for chilling’ even on such a big day.
She also admitted that he was ‘the most difficult person in the world to buy a present for’ and that he was unlikely to celebrate becoming a pensioner unless she ‘hopped up and down singing Happy Birthday’.
Camilla said: ‘I will tell you that he is the most difficult person in the world to buy a present for. He is a man! They are hopeless! I spend ages trying to find something that is really wonderful and then [she mimes him opening a present] ‘Oh, thank you very much’ [she uses a non-committal voice]. It is so annoying!
Instead of a big public event to mark his 75th year, royal insiders have said the King is likely to want to have a more private event with family – but there will likely be cake involved
‘He never, ever stops working. He’s exhausting. No matter what the day, he is always working.
‘I am hopping up and down and saying, ‘Darling do you think we could have a bit of, you know, peace and quiet, enjoy ourselves together?’ But he always has to finish something.
‘He is so in the zone … you are outside … but he is always there in the zone, working, working, working…. he’ll stick with his papers, I know he will, while I am trying to sing Happy Birthday. I might just even have to hold up a sign saying ‘Happy birthday, darling’.’
But while the King’s birthday celebrations may be modest, there is one further major royal highlight in the offing.
The Mail can reveal that a film charting Their Majesties’ first year is set to be one of the highlights of the BBC’s Christmas schedule.
Buckingham Palace has been co-operating with the corporation for the last 12 months and has given ‘unprecedented’ access to the couple and their household during a period of momentous and historic change.
The King and Queen have not been interviewed on camera, with one source remarking pithily: ‘This is not Netflix, you know!’
The comment was a nod to the Sussexes infamous ‘docu-series’ last year in which which was little more than a series of thinly veiled attacks on the Royal Family and British media. However other family members have talked to the BBC.
The BBC is even hopeful of getting the Prince and Princess of Wales speaking on camera, although nothing has yet been confirmed.
The King and Queen are currently holidaying on the Balmoral estate, where they will remain until October returning for official engagements as and when necessary. They will be joined by other family members over the next few weeks.
Although they will not be seen in public much, a great deal is going on behind the scenes in readiness for the ‘new term’ in September.
Planning is ramping up for a number of forthcoming, but as yet unconfirmed, royal overseas trips reported to be Kenya for the King and Queen as well as their rescheduled visit to France.
The King has plans to ‘upscale’ his big new passion, The Coronation Food Project, which is partnering with other charities supported by him to reduce food waste and poverty.
‘He’s very alive to the cost of living crisis and is actively looking at ways he can help within the constitutional constraints of his new role,’ says an aide.
The Queen has also renewed her determination to shine a spotlight on the scourge of domestic violence.
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