Strange Things King Charles Brings With Him When He Travels
Any royal watcher — fan or foe — knows that members of the firm have odd specifications. The late Queen Elizabeth II, for instance, had members of her staff fulfill arguably strange roles. From playing bagpipes outside of her room to wake her up in the mornings, to someone breaking in her shoes for her, the late monarch had solutions to problems that seldom few would think of. It certainly seems as though her son got the memo too, as he has very specific requests that are carried out on a regular basis. Some of King Charles III's demands are behind closed doors — relating to his toothpaste or shoelaces — while others have played out on the public stage. The internet was quick to weigh in when Charles appeared to lose it at a pen that wasn't cooperating early into his tenure as monarch, pointing to his easily lost temper and demands lashed out to staff members.
Still, other specifications on the royal's behalf relate to travel, and to say that they're specific is an understatement. Many have witnessed Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, make public appearances, walk the rope line, and have fawning international leaders present them with the best their country has to offer, but the royals have travel requirements that are so absurd it's difficult to believe. Demands established by Charles relate to his toilet paper, diet, guest room furnishings, and beyond.
The king brings a bag of his own blood with him when he travels
Try not to get woozy, but we're starting off with a doozy. When he travels, King Charles III brings his own blood with him. Just the admission alone is rather jarring, but the explanation is actually quite sound, despite the macabre delivery. The secret was originally spilled (see what we did there?) by former press secretary Dickie Arbiter, who worked for both Charles and Diana Spencer as well as the late Queen Elizabeth II. While speaking on "A Right Royal" podcast as part of Hello! magazine's content, Arbiter explained that in the case of a medical emergency away from the safety and security of London, royals have been known to travel with vials of their own blood if such a transfusion is necessary in a foreign country.
"You've got to make sure that you're covered in every eventuality, and the aircraft-carried blood as well," Arbiter shared on the podcast, noting that such a move is hopefully a last resort, but precautions are taken nevertheless. "Blood, yes, for in the case there was a blood transfusion."
The former secretary added that not only does Charles travel with his own blood, but so did Diana, Elizabeth, and Prince Philip during their lifetimes. "There's never really a guarantee that you're going to get the right type of blood at your destination," he said. "So you carry it."
The royal has travel specifications relating to his toilet paper
We all know that one person who will go to a store that's out of the way just to get their Charmin Ultra toilet paper, but King Charles III's specifications are so particular that he actually circumvented the royal toilet paper provider, Andrex, in order to fulfill his needs. When he travels, the king reportedly takes his own toilet paper with him, according to Christopher Andersen, the author of "The King: The Life of Charles III." He told Entertainment Tonight that when it comes to TP, the royal is not one to be flexible. His claim was further bolstered by Tina Brown, who included in "The Palace Papers" that Charles uses a specific type of lavatory paper called Kleenex Velvet tissue.
This is where things get tricky, however. As it turns out, Kleenex Velvet lavatory paper is not only unavailable in the United Kingdom, but was discontinued all the way back in 1996 — surely bad news for the royal. Charles is said to seek out his toilet paper now from a company called Essity, which has its own take on the luxe toilet paper and can be purchased on Amazon. While seeking out such specifications, Charles kicked Andrex — the royal paper supplier — to the curb. We can just imagine the king signing up for automatic refills for his toilet paper on Amazon Prime.
Charles travels with a private chef in tow
King Charles III has been known for his specific dining habits and conscious diet, and such practices are applied when he travels — even when there are international cuisines to indulge in. Though the palace has been quick to dampen the severity of the whispers, author Christopher Andersen claimed that Charles' eating habits extend to travel, guest appearances and more.
"People who work in the palace, people who have worked for him, say that... when he goes to dinner parties at other people's homes he often brings his own chef, so they can prepare a meal for him that he'll eat separately at the table," Andersen told Entertainment Tonight of the royal. "He wants what he wants when he wants it." Adding even more peculiarity to Charles' travel habits, Andersen shared that the king even has specifications when it comes to the ice that is present in his drink. "I think one of the funniest quirks — a number of royals have this, the queen had it as well — they don't like square ice cubes," the author said. "They carry around ice cube trays, have them brought with them wherever they go, because they don't like the clinking sound that square cubes make."
According to My London, Andersen's estimations were bolstered by chef Graham Newbould, who further revealed that the royal requires his "breakfast box" come with him while traveling, packed with organic fruit, juices, and bread.
Charles travels with one-of-a-kind host gifts
When it comes to the world of royals and dignitaries, gift giving is a big deal. As is the case for King Charles III, he is said to travel with a thought out present for whomever he is visiting, ready to exchange pleasantries and objects of appreciation that are often reflective of deep-seated bonds. Of course, it is not the least bit weird to give a gift to a host, but Charles goes way beyond your classic bottle of wine. Hey, who hasn't stuck a few historical artifacts in their carryon ahead of a big trip?
For example, the royals exchanged meaningful gifts with former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama when they visited Great Britain during an official state visit in 2011. Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, were given jars of honey that'd been brewed by the White House's very own bees, as well as seeds and seedlings collected from Mount Vernon, the estate that once belonged to George Washington. Given that Charles is a well-documented lover of environmental causes, the token was well received. The Obamas also gave Queen Elizabeth II an album of photos from one of her parents' trips to the United States.
In exchange, the royals presented the first lady with a stunning vintage brooch, and gifted both the Obamas a collection of correspondence exchanged between former presidents and members of the royal family. When Charles and Camilla headed to the States in 2015, we have to imagine the gift game did not disappoint.
The king brings his childhood stuffed animal with him when he travels
So many of us know the realities of stuffing our baby blanket or teddy bear in our suitcase while traveling, hidden away from anyone who might be doing a bag check; yes, even adults need that comfort item from time to time. Well, when it comes to King Charles III, even the royal apparently requires his childhood stuffed animal to be packed when he's hitting the road, with author Christopher Andersen shedding more light on the king's childhood and rumored travel habit that has carried on throughout the years, despite his international status and power.
"So much about Charles you could really trace back to his childhood, which was heartbreakingly lonely," Andersen told Entertainment Tonight of the royal. "Charles has described his relationship with his mother [by saying] that she was cold and aloof, that his father was a bully who hectored him, who made him cry in front of other people, physically bullied him."
With such a melancholy experience, it would not be shocking if Charles were to take comfort in a childhood stuffed animal, with Andersen explaining just how intentional the royal is with his teddy bear. "He still travels with a childhood teddy bear," the author continued. "He's had it since he was a very small child... The only person who's been allowed to mend King Charles' teddy bear is his childhood nanny, Mabel Anderson, who he remains very close to."
Charles is said to travel with alcohol to enjoy with his wife
The thing about road trips that make them so much more fun is that you can bring your own snacks with you; no need to worry about TSA or airport security asking you to throw away your water bottle or favorite bag of chips before you head through security. When you're King Charles III, however, you don't have to limit yourself in the slightest, and you can even bring along your own booze when you hit the skies. As it happens, Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, like to travel with their choice alcohol packed and ready to enjoy, and we absolutely can't blame them. Shedding more light on the subject, royal expert and host of the "To Di For Daily" podcast, Kinsey Schofield, told Fox News Digital that packing their own tipple has become a strange, yet personal habit for the married couple — even if they're headed out on an international trip.
"King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla have developed a unique tradition of bringing their own booze on their travels," Schofield said, shedding a more dubious light on why they're so specific when it comes to their international alcohol. "Of course, their invite did not say BYOB. This method is to ensure that no one spikes their beverages. The senior royals sometimes carry a bag of gin and tonic for Charles and red wine for Camilla."
The king apparently brings his bedroom set with him when he travels
This is perhaps the oddest habit on King Charles III's part when he travels. The royal reportedly demands that his entire bedroom set hits the road with him. We're not just talking about packing his pillow, which is understandable, but the entire set — yes, even furniture. Accompanying the entire bedroom set is the king's specific toilet paper (obviously), a radio for some light entertainment, water, specific whisky, and two paintings of the Scottish Highlands. No, we're not kidding.
In addition, Charles is also accompanied with an entire truck load of his own food, ensuring that his appetite is satisfied no matter where he is in the world. We can only imagine that this is quite the packing endeavor for his staff.
But actually, we don't have to imagine. In Tom Bower's "Rebel King," former private secretary Sir John Riddell shed a bit of light on the king's reported attitude and specifications, noting how difficult working for him seems to be. "He comes in, complains that his office is 'useless' and people cannot spell and the world is so unfair, then says, 'This is part of the intolerable burden I put up with. This incompetence!'" Riddell once told a coworker about the king. Maybe Charles should just pack his pillow like the rest of us and call it a day.
There is one key element that Charles' hosts must look for when expecting the king
When expecting King Charles III at your door, there are a few things you need to prepare for: one, he might cancel, and two, there will likely be a big truck in your driveway with all his stuff. This apparently was the case for a friend who was supposed to host the royal for a weekend. According to Tom Bower's "Rebel Prince" (via Daily Mail), the host said they received a phone call that Friday informing them that Charles would not be able to make it to their home until the next morning.
By the next day, yet another phone call came, expressing regrets once again as Charles wouldn't be there for Saturday lunch, but would surely make it in time for dinner. By the evening, the phone rang once again and the entire trip was canceled — are any of us surprised? The royal was supposedly so taken with the sunset at his estate that he didn't want to leave his house, reportedly leaving the canceled-upon host even more upset at the devolvement of the weekend's plans.
Hosts are apparently told to keep an eye out for two things when the king is set to arrive: the truck full of his luggage (and bedroom set), in addition to his food delivery. If those two checkpoints are present, the visit is on. Absent, and everything could fall apart.
Rumor has it Charles brings this bathroom item with him on the road
If you thought that King Charles III's toilet paper specifications were the only bathroom-related requirement he has while traveling, think again. In addition to the velvet lavatory paper he special orders, Charles is rumored to travel "with a custom-made toilet seat," author Christopher Andersen told Entertainment Tonight. We're not entirely sure what a custom toilet seat would even include — a molded fit for comfort, throne-like detailing to really play up the royal connection? In any case, Charles shockingly addressed the rumors about his custom toilet seat head on, offering a quick quip to a reporter who asked him about it while traveling to Australia.
"Is it true that you carry your own toilet seat when you travel?" a radio reporter based in Brisbane asked Charles during a public appearance (via People). The royal was quick to question the very notion of the question. "My own what?" he said, before adding, "Oh, don't believe all that crap."
The reporter wasn't done with the line of questioning, however, directing the inquiry to Camilla, Queen Consort. "So he doesn't carry his own toilet seat when he travels?" they asked. "Don't you believe that!" Camilla retorted. Later, the couple's communications director took to Twitter with a quippy comment, posting, "The Prince and the Duchess's tour of Australia and Vanuatu begins: 30 engagements, 7 days, 1 Commonwealth Games, 0 personal loo seats."
The king is never without appropriate funeral attire
Some of King Charles III's travel specifications seem rather funny in the grand scheme of things, but there is one item that he never leaves Britain without, and that's appropriate funeral attire. In the event of an unforeseen death either at home or abroad, Charles always has a black suit packed in order to step out in relevant and respectful garb. Sadly, this royal protocol has roots in a royal family loss.
Queen Elizabeth II was in Africa in 1952 when she received the tragic news that her father, King George IV, had died. Though his health had been wavering, his passing was incredibly unexpected, and the young mother was suddenly thrust into the spotlight like never before; she was queen, no longer Princess Elizabeth, and the entire Commonwealth was looking to her for guidance. She quickly made her way back to Britain, but did not have any appropriate funeral or mourning attire packed with her. Once landed in the United Kingdom, Elizabeth had an aide bring her a black dress — she promptly changed, and then disembarked the plane while being consumed with the flashes of royal photographers. With such a rooted family tragedy at the heart of this protocol, it's only fitting that Charles and the newest crop of royals maintain the approach while traveling, keeping both late monarchs close to them while doing so.
The royal has a specific bed that travels with him for this medical purpose
We've covered the specific lavatory paper, the toilet seat — though King Charles III shot that whisper down — and the two landscape paintings that always have to travel with the king, but what about his mattress? In addition to the entire bedroom set that comes with the royal, Charles is said to travel with his orthopedic bed in tow, with author Tina Brown noting the habit in her book, "The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor."
While such a specification seems incredibly over the top, it was Prince Harry who actually shed a bit more light on the subject. Any defense of his father these days seems completely unexpected, but in his expository memoir "Spare," Harry detailed just how severe Charles' back and neck injuries are, all having been sustained during his polo days. The king's sporting habit has been largely covered throughout his life, and he was a staple on the polo field until the equestrian activity became too much for him — no doubt resulting in an orthopedic bed that helps mitigate his aches. In "Spare," Harry noted that Charles has chronic neck and back pain, and just acknowledging the king's discomfort broke already established royal protocol about discussing a firm member's medical issues.