
A glimpse into private royal life has been shared by former royal butler Grant Harrold, who spent seven years working for King Charles at Highgrove House.
For him, serving the then-Prince of Wales was, as he describes, “an absolute dream come true.”
Harrold remembers the King fondly, calling him “very gentle” and noting that during all his years in service, “he didn’t once raise his voice.”
A Somber Reflection on Becoming King
Before his coronation on May 6, 2023, Charles gave a moving response when asked about his future as monarch. Harrold recalls him saying: “When that job comes, you lose a parent.”
That reality came with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, just over a year after Prince Philip’s death on April 9, 2021. Their marriage lasted an extraordinary 73 years, making it the longest in royal history.

Memories of the Crown
According to the BBC, Charles admitted to feeling “anxious” ahead of his coronation. Speaking in the documentary Coronation Girls, he recalled vivid memories of the night before his mother’s coronation when he was just four years old.