Now that August is in full swing, it’s time for the Royal Family to enjoy their annual summer break on the Balmoral estate, and for King Charles, that means a lot of packing (for his staff) to do. The King recently kicked off his Scottish holiday with a visit to the Queen Mother’s former home, the Castle of Mey, before heading to Balmoral, where he’ll stay throughout August and September. There’s a huge amount of preparation for such a long visit, as The King’s former Highgrove House butler, Grant Harrold, shares—but one rumored item apparently doesn’t make the packing list.
Speaking on behalf of Betway, Harrold shared that the royals “tend to pack for every eventuality,” but bathroom circumstances aren’t one of them. Although it’s long been said that King Charles brings his own special toilet seat on vacation, the former palace staffer debunked that claim.
“The idea that King Charles travels with his own toilet seat is completely untrue,” Harrold says. “He packs like anyone else would, taking the essentials he needs for the destination and making sure he is prepared for different situations.”
In Robert Jobson's book, The Windsor Legacy, he addressed the toilet rumor, stating that “when challenged about this, during a 2018 walkabout in Brisbane, Australia, the Prince [Charles] himself dismissed the claim, saying: ‘Oh, don't believe all that crap.’”
“However, insiders suggest there is some truth to the story,” Jobson continued. He shared that when the then-Prince of Wales visited Craigowan Lodge near Balmoral Castle he “couldn't stand” the “cheap plastic loo seat” so staff would bring in “a wooden one whenever he came to stay.”
As for the rest of his packing list, Harrold shares that The King makes sure that his hobbies are covered. “One thing King Charles is known to take with him is his watercolor painting set. Painting is a real passion of his, particularly when he's in Scotland, and it's something he enjoys doing during his downtime.”
There’s also a slightly morbid packing rule the family must follow. “One item that is always packed is a black tie, just in case there is a death or an occasion requiring mourning attire while they are away,” Harrold explains.
