The King
I met King Charles III. Spoke a couple of words and shook hands. Very surreal. It was well known he was making a visit to the next town down from me, but as a result of knowing someone who knows someone who was in the village community centre when police and what was assumed were folk charged with the King’s security, came in and did a sweep of the place, it was believed that he would in fact be making a stop here, in my village.
On the morning of the visit, it became clear due to the police presence, that a royal visit was scheduled. I had heard that the police were raking through the bushes around the area from early morning so something was up. The police were remaining tight-lipped, but when you see the helicopter descending towards the next town, it’s not rocket science. Fair play to the veterans that had been invited. Everyone it seems had kept it to themselves and by the time Charles turned up there were only a couple of dozen of us hanging around on the other side of the road. It was very low-key, very few seemed to know. I don’t recall seeing the local press there to cover it. They would have been camped out at the main event in the next town.
When Charles got out of the car, decked out as always in Highland dress when he visits Scotland, he turned to wave and then pointed towards where we were standing. He immediately walked around the front of the car, wrong-footing security, and rather walking into the community centre, crossed the road to greet those of us waiting. As he came towards us, he remarked about the local pub behind, and I got the impression if it had been open, he would have liked to have gone inside.
There were no barriers, and no protestors, and although security and the police were close by, they did not get in the way. Charles walked along the line of us, saying hello and shaking hands and laughing and joking with folk as he went. Then with a wave he crossed back and continued with the meet and greet that had been organised for the veterans in the community centre. As I said it was very surreal.
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