Royalists Tell Us Their Least Favourite Thing About King Charles

The bunting’s down, the coronation quiche has been eaten and Olly Murs, a walking Next polo top in human form, has finally slunk off the Windsor Castle concert stage. Buckle up for a few (emphasis on “few”) thrilling decades of being ruled over by a septuagenarian, the oldest to ascend the creaky throne of the second worst-performing economy among G20 nations. Hail Britannia, long live King Charles II, etc, etc.

But don’t take our word for it! VICE photographer Chris Bethell was mixing it up with a significantly more enthusiastic crowd of royal family stans over the coronation weekend. He asked them what they liked least about our new monarch and, in the interest of balance, their most favourite thing. (Apparently: Clarence House eggs. The HRH comms team have their work cut out for them.)

What's your least favourite thing about the king?
No one's perfect. No-one. There's no-one.

True. What's your favourite thing, then?
He does work hard for the environment and sustainability. I also love Clarence House eggs: they're the only ones that I buy.

What's your favourite thing about King Charles?
About him himself? The fact he's the son of the Queen! No, I love him and I'm convinced he will be a great king. He had the best apprenticeship you can ever imagine with his mother.

And your least favourite?
Maybe that he had loved two women at the same time. I didn't like that so much.

What's your least favourite thing about our new king?
The Diana situation.

Okay, so what's your favourite thing then?
I think he's a good dad. I think he's a good person to be honest with you. I'm not a massive royalist but I just wanted to be here today for the history of it to be honest. So that's why we travelled down on Thursday.

What’s your least favourite thing about Charles?
Oh, it'd be Diana.

Do you have a favourite thing about him?
I'm not a royalist either, I'm just here for the celebrations.

What's your least favourite thing about Charles?
He gives me the impression that he's quite reserved. But he does seem to have a sense of humour and Camilla has said that he's kind, but I just think he's a bit reserved. 

And your favourite thing about him, then?
His thoughtfulness. He's trying to slim down the monarchy – the working royals so the tax payer doesn't have to pay a lot of money towards it and I think that's really admirable. 

What's your favourite thing about the new King?
Drannan: The fact that he's a king. I've loved him as a prince all of my life. I just love the royal family, that's it in a nutshell. There's nothing more important to me and the UK than the royal family. 
Harrison: 70 years he's waited for this moment and he's well up for it. He'll be a fantastic king. I just hope he has a lot of years in it. 

For balance, what's your least favourite thing about him?
Drannan: Probably just him getting the crown without enough years to really enjoy it. He does that much for the environment that people don't give him credit for. There's honestly nothing bad I could say about King Charles.
Harrison: Exactly the same – The Prince's Foundation has done so much for the country and under privileged kids. He's a fantastic man and I wish he would be here for another 30 years – not that I will be, though.
Drannan: Not much chance of that.

Do you have a favourite thing about the King?
His devotion to his mum when she was here and also to the rest of the family.

And your least favourite thing?
Nothing. Nothing at all.

What's your favourite thing about King Charles?
Moffatt: His mother. 
Murphy: He's got big shoes to fill. 
Moffatt: He's waited all his life for this, he does deserve it.|
Murphy: Hopefully it won't be too long til it's his son next.

And what's your least favourite?
Both at the same time: Camilla!
Murphy: She makes him happy but she doesn't deserve to be Queen. 

What’s your least favourite about Charles?
My least favourite – I don't know, I don't know if I have a least favourite thing. I don't judge him on errors he's made in his personal life as we all have. Many of us have failed marriages, so, there's nothing I don't like about him.

And your most favourite thing?
The continuity he's given us. I've known him all my life and that's what I like about the Royal Family. I know they're not elected – you don't choose your own family do you? I think he's done a good job and he's had a lot of trying circumstances to deal with.

What's your least favourite thing about our new king, then?
I don't know any negative things about him – people will talk but I don't know him personally. What I see of him in public is good. He's multicultural, he's multi religion and he is good with children. He's set up a lot of initiatives to help the youth.

And your most favourite, for balance?
King Charles is very patient. He knows to relate to people of different cultures and religion. He's good with climate change and encouraging people to do things to make the future better for all of us. Also if you loved his mother then you have no choice but to love her son.

What's your favourite thing about the King?
He's always stuck to his principles right through the years. He's very into environmental issues, saving the planet and I like that. I'm happy enough with him.

And what is your least favourite?
Oh, I don't really have a least favourite thing. He's come out of his shell a lot more since the Queen passed. We're seeing a lot of him more now and I think we'll see a big change after today.

What's your least favourite thing about the king?
I don't really like the idea of him being “defender of all the faiths” which he said he would be. He was given the title “defender of the faith”, which is a particular faith and I think that's what he should do. Instead of trying to please everyone he has a specific duty and he needs to fulfil that. I think his Mother did and I'd like it if he was more like her.

Right… and your most favourite thing?
I suppose I like the way he seems to have grown into the role of king. A lot of people were nervous about whether he could fill the role but I think he can.