The Unexpected Nickname Martha Stewart Uses For King Charles

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As Mel Brooks famously said in "History of the World Part I," "It's good to be the king!" The current British monarch would surely think so. In addition to his luxurious homes, bespoke wardrobe, fine dining options, and ability to have his every whim catered to, King Charles III has met some of the most famous celebrities in the world. Among the notables who have shaken the royal hand: Paul McCartney, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Judi Dench, Barbra Streisand, and 10 U.S. presidents. Charles added to that list in 2026 by chatting up an American decorating and cooking legend — and she felt as though she were meeting an old friend.

During their state visit to the U.S. in late April 2026, Charles and Queen Camilla were the guests of honor at the King's Trust Gala, a lavish fundraiser benefitting a charity the king created 50 years earlier to help teens and young adults get a head start in the working world. The event, held at the Christie's auction house in Manhattan, featured a galaxy of celebs, including top fashion designers, actors, and the one and only Martha Stewart. Interviewed on the fly by TMZ on her way there, Stewart was asked, "Are you going with Charles — with King Charles?" The domestic diva replied, "Oh, with Chuck? I call him Chuck." 

We might have been surprised at learning the truth about Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg — namely, that they're the most unlikely of friends — but hearing Stewart toss out a friendly nickname for the King of England seems like par for the course now.

We may not be able to forget about all the scandals Martha Stewart has been involved in, but to her credit, the lifestyle mogul has managed to rise above them. Her phoenix-like rep helped her secure an invite to the exclusive King's Trust Gala, where she rubbed elbows with Chuck — er, King Charles III, with whom she has a number of interests in common. Stewart noted on the "Today" show (via Hello! Magazine) that she met him years ago during his first visit to the U.S. "Back then, oh my gosh, [we were both] publishing, writing books," she recalled. "He was building a garden. He's a very good gardener, and I'm very interested in that."

No outlet has yet confirmed whether Stewart actually dared to call the king by his familiar nickname, but if she did, he didn't seem to mind. She told the outlet, "I liked him so much. He was so friendly. He talked to me for quite a long time, [even though] he had a lot of people to talk to and say hi to." Even though American citizens aren't expected to bow or curtsy to royalty — something about that little Declaration of Independence business — Stewart still felt moved to do a little knee-dip before the monarch. 

Despite all this, Stewart has kept things humble. When a New York Times reporter asked whether she considered herself to be "American royalty," she quickly replied, "Oh, I would never presume." When the aforementioned TMZ reporter asked her whether she had any decorating tips for Charles and Camilla, the media superstar graciously responded, "They don't need it at all. I need it from them!"

Martha Stewart may have hoped to be on familiar terms with the current British monarch, but another blonde entertainment giant did it first (and, arguably, best). King Charles had a close friendship with comedy legend Joan Rivers in what has to be one of the oddest celebrity pairs ever. According to the king's former butler, Grant Harrold, in his book "The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service," the two met in 2003 through mutual friends during a holiday trip in southern France. Charles was already a fan of Rivers, despite the fact that she often mocked the late Princess Diana in her comedy routines as being a whiner. 

Harrold divulges that the friends had nicknames for each other; Rivers called Charles "darling," while the then-prince referred to her as "Miss Potty Mouth." In an interview quoted by Hello!, the acerbic comedian said of Charles, "He is so charming, so humorous. All the passions that everyone used to laugh at him for — organic food, architecture, talking to the flowers, we're all into those things now. He is so far ahead of his time, a very smart man and I adore him." 

The feeling was quite mutual. Rivers was one of only four Americans invited to Charles and Camilla's wedding, and she performed in front of Charles (and Prince Harry) at a gala in honor of his 60th birthday. When she died in September 2014 at age 81, the future monarch expressed his grief, calling Rivers "an extraordinary woman with an original and indefatigable spirit, an unstoppable sense of [humor] and an enormous zest for life" (via The Independent).