Support truly
independent journalism
King Charles granted a royal well-wisher’s unusual request to kiss a king while visiting the Channel Island of Guernsey today.
The sweet moment took place on the monarch and Queen Camilla’s two-day whistlestop tour of the islands, which is Charles’s first visit as king.
The sweet interaction was shared by ITV’s royal editor Chris Ship on Twitter/X, who revealed that the woman in question was 91-year-old Kathleen.
He joked: “If you can’t do it when you are 91 years old, when can you? Kathleen from Guernsey says she’s never kissed a King before, but now she most definitely has!!”
In the sweet footage, Charles, 76, can be seen walking over to greet a group of well-wishers, before Kathleen asks him if for a kiss.
He then obliges and presents his cheek, much to her delight, and she can be seen beaming as she says, “Thank you very much.”
The interaction went down a storm after it was shared online, with viewers rushing to praise King Charles for making Kathleen’s day.
“Good on her!!” wrote one viewer while a second described it as “[the] cutest thing this week.”
If you can’t do it when you are 91 years old, when can you?
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) July 16, 2024
Kathleen from Guernsey says she’s never kissed a King before, but now she most definitely has!! 😘 pic.twitter.com/qciI3BMcOW
A third joked that the king “didn’t have much choice.”
Another praised Kathleen for looking “great” for 91 and said it must be “the Guernsey lifestyle”.
The King and Queen had a packed day of engagements ahead of tomorrow’s State Opening of Parliament and spent some time learning about the island’s culture and heritage.
The monarch was also given the opportunity to sample a beer appropriately named “Charles”.
Other engagements undertaken today saw the couple meet the Golden Guernsey Goat, Tamtam, who had her coat especially shampooed and conditioned for the occasion.
The trip was designed to celebrate the island’s ongoing relationship with the Crown.
The royal family’s official Twitter/X account highlighted the fact that the island has its own “parliament, laws, judiciary, government, flag, stamps and banknotes.”
“The Bailiwick has one of the oldest connections to the Crown. It is therefore a great joy to be here among you once more today to celebrate the close and special relationship which connects us,” King Charles said in a speech.
The couple yesterday visited the island of Jersey where they undertook a similarly packed day of engagements.
This included a parade and a community tea party with those making a difference in the local community.
The royals similarly learned about Jersey’s heritage and culture, including its agricultural mission to achieve net zero, which would have likely been of great interest to the monarch, who is famed for his commitment to protecting the environment.
