Coronation Street star Bill Roache has revealed the conversation he had with King Charles as he was honoured for the second time. It was announced at the end of last year that the actor had been made an OBE in the New Year's honours list.
Bill, who is famed for playing Ken Barlow in the ITV soap and holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving TV soap star in the world, was first awarded an MBE for services to TV drama in the New Year Honours list in 2001.
But he received an upgrade from the late Queen before her death in September. After the announcement was made on December 31 last year, almost a year later, Bill officially recieved his honour at an investiture ceremony in Windsor Castle.
Bill was awarded his OBE at the royal residence in Berkshire on Wednesday morning (December 14). Also honoured was Countryfile presenter Matt Baker, actor Damian Lewis, drug company AstraZeneca’s chief executive Sir Pascal Sorlot, and film director Sir John Boorman.
Speaking to the PA news agency after meeting Charles, Roache said: “Oh I love the royal family – I met the Queen about seven times. Charles is really, really friendly and more easy-going possibly in a sense.
"But the Queen was even – when she came (to visit the Coronation street set) less than a year ago – she always listened, she was attentive she was on the ball, and didn’t miss a trick. She was very bright. And they always love the humour, all of them, which I like. I’m very fond of the royal family."
Revealing more about the occasion, the 90-year-old soap star said he and the King, 74, had chatted about their respective workloads during the ceremony, adding: "Charles was lovely – very friendly.
"He said: ‘Not still working are you?’; I said: ‘Yes, just had two ex-girlfriends on the show’. He said: ‘Oh that must have been work’, and I said: ‘May I wish you a long and joyful reign sir?’, and he said: ‘Thank you, that will be a lot of work too’."
Earlier this year, days after it was confirmed Her Majesty had died peacefully, aged 96, at Balmoral on September 8, Bill said: "She was so beautiful," in an ITV interview. "I fell in love with her as a person and as an individual. I don't know whether that was heresy or something, but she is just a very comforting person to be with."
He then appeared on a special episode of This Morning to share more of his own memories of meeting the Queen. Reflecting on the first time he met the late monarch, Bill, who celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year, said: "I was 21 when I first met her, I was a young officer, and we were part of the reception committee. When she came on there was warmth and friendliness and a twinkle in the eye.
"As a Queen she was impeccable." On how he feels about her death, Bill went on to say: "I feel a great sense of personal loss. It’s like a member of your family has gone." But he had praise for the new King Charles III as he added: "But King Charles is equally as warm, I think he’ll be a wonderful King, he’ll spread it a little further with his own interests as a King but he’ll continue the Queen’s interest and warmth."
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