As King Charles took a stroll around Guernsey today, royal fans who had queued to meet the monarch and shake his hand were full of praise. However, a few people who met the 74-year-old monarch paid him an unusual compliment.
Jacquie Gordon, 56, a Channel Island resident, said she felt the King’s “rough” hands made him appear “a real worker”.
She said, ‘I shook the king’s hand and it was rough, like a real worker doing things with his hands.’
Another royal fan, Christine Morton, 75, added: “Yes, he shakes hands nicely, which I like.”
King Charles received an unexpected compliment today from a royal fan who said he had ‘rough hands’, suggesting he was a ‘real worker’ during his visit to Guernsey with Queen Camilla (pictured today)
The monarch has undoubtedly perfected his handshake over the years, having spent decades meeting the public on the street. However, Charles will probably be particularly pleased with this feedback, as he has been mocked in the past for the appearance of his hands, particularly his so-called ‘sausage fingers’.
However, it seems the people of Guernsey appreciated the monarch’s firm handshake, as they met him during the walk on their second day in the Channel Islands.
It seems the King and Queen was a huge success as fans of the royal family were delighted to meet Their Majesty.
King Charles has undoubtedly spent decades perfecting his handshake as he meets people from all over the world, but today he was complimented for his strong grip
Barrie Ainsworth, who turns 80 today, was congratulated on his birthday by the King after learning the Guernsey native was celebrating a special milestone.
The King told Mr. Ainsworth, who had come to the King with his family, that he said, ‘I hope they take good care of you. Have a very nice day.’
Brenda Ainsworth, Mr Ainsworth’s daughter-in-law, wished the Queen “a happy birthday tomorrow”, which will be Camilla’s 77th birthday.
The Queen replied, “Thank you. Sometimes you have to forget them!”
The King was addressing a group of medical students who had come to Guernsey as part of their studies, telling them they were ‘very much needed’.
Ivana Barbalich, 23, a medical student doing an elective abroad from her native New Zealand, said: ‘I said Kia Ora to him, a traditional New Zealand greeting. We said we were medical students and he said we were ‘urgently needed’.’
Guernsey has been given a public holiday today to mark the royal visit.
The Channel Islands formally became part of the Duchy of Normandy in 933. Following William the Conqueror’s victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Normandy and England came under common rule.
After 1204, Guernsey pledged its loyalty to King John of England when he lost his continental Norman territory to the French king. And now, 820 years later, the Channel Islands are the only part of the former Duchy of Normandy that remains loyal to the British crown.
When the King and Queen arrived this morning, the Royal Standard was raised on the weighbridge mast and a 21-gun salute was fired.
They then took part in a special session of the States of Deliberation.
It is tradition that a special session of the States of Deliberation is held when the monarch first visits Guernsey. This happened in 1957, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II first visited the country.
Later in the visit, the King spoke to a group of medical students who had come to Guernsey as part of their studies and told them they were ‘very much needed’.
Ivana Barbalich, 23, a medical student doing an elective abroad from her native New Zealand, said: ‘I said Kia Ora to him, a traditional New Zealand greeting. We said we were medical students and he said we were ‘urgently needed’.